Some Kind Of Hope
by Dinosaurfan
Summary: After traveling the world Paige McCullers finally returns home to find that Rosewood has changed and not for the better, but is there a light in the dark when she meets Emily Fields
1. Chapter 1: Returning Home

**Chapter 1: Returning Home**

 **Paige's Pov-**

After traveling around the world for a year I returned to Rosewood, that place was and still is my home. When my plane had landed I took a taxi to my old address, even though I hadn't been at my place for a year I still had my apartment, my mom and dad had taken care of that place since I had left.

"You know, I've never seen anyone asking for a ride to Rosewood since it turned into a slum." The taxi driver said.

He was right, Rosewood had really gone downhill since Roger Khan became the town's mayor. I didn't know anything about Roger but I went to school with his son Noel and I had met Noel's big brother Eric at a party, the second I saw then I knew they were trouble so I kept my distance from that family.

In my second year of High school I knew I was gay, when I came out to my parent's things were awkward for a few months but eventually they came around and they accepted that I was gay but still their daughter.

"Visiting any relatives?" The cab driver asked but I remained silent and just looked out the window at the dark night sky. The cab driver just shrugged and kept driving down the street.

My life after High school had been very unusual, I went to Stanford college for two years before I dropped out. I was too scared to tell my parents since they valued me very highly, my mom was a lawyer and my dad was a Police officer who had very recently gotten promoted to Detective and I was a college dropout so I decided to keep quiet about it until I had gotten a job to pay my student loans, which were much harder than I thought and I eventually got so desperate and enrolled to the army.

My parents were very shocked when I told them that but since I was already in the army when I had told them it wasn't anything they could do.

I served in the army in Iran for three years and I had no problem killing terrorists since I felt like I was defending my country from soulless monsters.

The commanding officer in the unit I was in was a tough man but he was a veteran, His name was Captain Walter Stratford and he was very fond of me and after I had defended an outpost he promoted me to corporal, that day he told me that in more than one way I reminded him of his oldest daughter Kat.

One day during a patrol through a town the unit were ambushed, Captain Stratford tried to take control over the situation but he was shot to death right in front of my eyes.

I just ran into cover and used every weapon I had, assault rifle, pistols, frag grenades I threw everything I had at where I thought the enemies were standing, all soldiers in the unit panicked and since I was the highest ranked in the unit I was in charge but I was too scared to know what to do.

I took in the fear and as I heard the soldiers… my men die around me I let all the fear in and slowly counted to five then it was all gone. I stood up from my cover and led the counter-attack charging the ambushing terrorist head-on, we shot down everything that moved and even threw frag grandees into some buildings to clear the terrorists out and eventually the fighting had stopped, we had won.

After the firefight had died out I checked the dead bodies to see how many of my own men had died and find injured. As I looked around the dead bodies I saw a terrorist that was barely alive. I grabbed my combat knife ready to end his suffering, but when I removed the mask he was wearing I made a horrifying discovery, he was just a kid, he couldn't have been older than 14. He looked at me in fear like I was the devil before he died in my arms. I jumped away from the kid just to stumble on another body who was also a kid.

I couldn't believe it, all the enemies that had attacked us were just kids. Some of them were not even teenagers. When I saw the dead bodies something inside me broke, I couldn't keep serving the army anymore since every time I closed my eyes I could see the dead kids whose blood were on my hands.

A few weeks later got Discharged and I returned home to Rosewood where I bought an apartment with the money I had earned being in the army. When I was back in rosewood I took a job as a waitress at a restaurant called 'The Apple Rose Grille', but it was better known as 'The Grille'.

Even though I was home I still felt like I hadn't found my place in the world and that's when my parents suggested that I should go backpacking across the world to find myself, they promised they would take care of my apartment until I came back, although I don't think they expected me to be gone for a full year.

During my travels I studied a lot of martial arts because I wanted to learn a way to defeat an attacker without using lethal force, my military background made it easier to learn from various masters but once I had mastered their techniques they all told me the same thing, I was talented but something made me hold myself back.

I knew exactly what they meant but I decided to not tell the masters about it and they never asked since they respected my privacy.

I kept travel all over the world sending postcards to my mom and dad to let them know where I was I even send them a few small souvenirs when I had the chance.

As the taxi kept driving I looked out the window and I noticed a small park, I remembered that my mom and dad would sometimes take me there as a kid. Every time we got to the park the first thing I'd do was to run to the swing set as fast as I could. Once I was on a swing I'd ask my parents to push me higher and higher. There was also a sandbox, a seesaw and even a slide but the swings were always the first and last thing I'd run to when we were at the park.

I let out a quiet sigh at the fond memories that park had gotten me and then the street lights gave me a better view of the park, what once was the happiest place for me was now ruined. Benches were smashed, what once was a swing where now just some hanging chains and there were horrible graffiti tags over the slide. I couldn't make out what they were saying and I was kind of glad for it.

It felt like I had been gone for a lifetime, maybe two. Everything had changed so much. Maybe it was a mistake to come back, maybe I should have traveled to New York, or Wisconsin or maybe even Canada.

The longer time I spent in the cab the more I saw that things were much different from when I had left Rosewood.

"Is it far?" I asked and the cab driver looked at me and seemed surprised.

"Just five… maybe six minutes." He said as he kept driving.

In an effort to distract me from seeing more ruined childhood memories.

There was nothing new on my phone just some update reminders that I didn't really care for. I expected my parents to at least leave a text or a voicemail or something since they knew I was coming home today. I remained like that for the rest of the drive just looking at my phone screen and waited for something to happen.

"Ok we're here." The cab driver said.

"How much?" I asked as I looked out to see my apartment, at least the building looked like the way I remembered it asides from a few graffiti tags on the walls.

"49 dollars." The cab driver said and I reached into my back pocket and got my wallet.

"Here, keep the change." I said as I handed him a fifty, then I opened the door and got out. The cold air hit my face and made me shiver, I guess the taxi driver had turned up the heat more than I expected.

Even though it was very cold I decided to not close my jacket, I was pretty much standing outside the front door already.

The taxi driver unlocked the trunk and I opened it so I could get my luggage.

"I know you didn't ask for it but my advice is to finish whatever business you got here and then leave this place as quickly as you can. The moment that asshole Khan was elected mayor things went straight to hell." The taxi driver said.

"This is my home." I said as I put my suitcases on the ground and closed the trunk.

"You should try to find a new one." The taxi driver said as he drove away. As I looked after him a part of me wanted to run after and make him pull over to ask for a drive to the closest town outside Rosewood or maybe even a motel but it was too late now.

I picked up my suitcases and held them in almost a death grip as I walked up to the front door.

"Home sweet home." I mumbled as I grabbed the door handle and let myself in.

I walked up the stairs and when I reached my door I unlocked the door and walked into my very dark apartment. I didn't bother to turn the lights on since I just wanted to go to bed. I put down my suitcases on the floor, I could always unpack tomorrow. As I went to where I remembered my bed was and hoped my parents hadn't redecorated my place while I was away.

I suddenly heard a crash, it sounded like it came from my kitchen. My first thought was that there was a burglar in my home. My reaction was that I had to grab my gun, but as I reached behind my back I remembered I didn't have any weapons. I walked to my kitchen to investigate the sound.

I sneaked to my kitchen and as I very slowly pushed the door open I peeked into the very dark kitchen and I very quietly sneaked in moving slowly to not make any noise in case there where someone in my kitchen. After a few steps I felt some crunching sound under my shoe. I slowly bent down to feel the floor and it was the shards of a broken glass. I knew there was no way it just rolled down on the floor on its own since the kitchen cupboard where I had all my glass where on the other end of the kitchen and it was closed.

Now my heart was beating very fast. I hadn't felt like this since the ambush when Captain Stratford was killed.

I slowly got up and reached for one of my kitchen knives to defend myself if whoever had broken in still was here. I squatted as I got hold of a knife and held it tight, it wasn't a combat knife but it would have to do.

As I sneaked further into my kitchen ready to stab the first person who'd appear in the dark I could hear some breathing from a bit further away and from what I could hear that it was at least two persons who were whispering. I prepared myself to run up and stab whoever was in here then I realized what I was doing, I'm not in the army anymore, I couldn't just kill people and I most defiantly couldn't just attack anyone, not even burglars. I should just sneak back out of my apartment, lock the front door and call the police like a normal person.

I moved very quietly back to the door I had entered the kitchen from, still holding the knife. I slowly pushed the door open it made a very creaking sound.

The lights were turned on and I thought I was going to have to fight.

"SURPRISE!" Two very familiar voices screamed and when I looked over I saw both my parents standing there. They were both smiling widely and my dad was holding a bottle of scotch.

"Like we weren't going to meet our world traveling girl when she finally returns after a full year." My mom said as she walked up to me. Before she was in front of me I discreetly pulled out a drawer and hid the knife I held behind my back. The last thing I wanted to think of was that I could have killed my parents.

My mom didn't notice the knife since she engulfed me in a very tight hug.

"Besides, we didn't have a chance to celebrate your 25th birthday since you were in Japan so we couldn't even call you. And it didn't really help that this one refused to send an email." My dad said and pointed to my mom.

My mom broke the hug then she looked at my dad and then back to me. "I'm sorry we scared you but that clumsy guy dropped a glass when he got thirsty and when we heard you got in he lost his grip on the glass." My mom said when she pulled me back into another tight hug.

My dad opened the kitchen cupboard and took out three shot glass and put them on the table then he started to open a few drawers. "Paige, where do you keep your corkscrews." He asked.

"Corkscrews? Why would I need more than one?" I asked as I hoped my mom would let go of me. I did miss her but now her hug was getting so tight it started to feel like a death grip. Now I understand where they got the word 'Smother love' from.

When I thought it was safe to finally breathe I was pulled into another hug by my dad and he was much stronger than her.

"It feels like it's been forever since I could hold you." My dad said before letting go of me.

"I know, it feels like it was just yesterday when she was just a baby and now she's been gone for a full year." My mom said and I could see that she was starting to tear up so I hugged the both of them and said. "I missed you guys too."

"Ok let's drink, where is that corkscrew?" My dad said and pulled out the cutlery drawer to keep searching.

"So how was the trip?" My mom asked as we sat down at the table.

"It was just what I needed, I feel great." I said.

"Are you in such a great mood because you've meet some nice girl?" My mom asked.

"No, no I had to get myself together before I'd get back out there." I said.

"Well, one day you'll meet someone and when it happens you're both invited to our annual family barbecue." My dad said.

"Please don't try to set me up with one of your colleagues' children ... again." I said thinking back to the time when I was in my last year of middle school and my mom tried to set me up with the son of one of her colleagues by 'accidentally' having us bump into each other at the food court at my favorite arcade.

"You were always so shy around boys and I just wanted to give you a push to break out of your shell." My mom said.

"I remembered that, Johnny and I had a very awkward silence at the table." I said.

"Hey! You were both competitive in arcade games, I thought you'd play laser tag together." My mom said.

"I swear, the only thing that'd make that moment more awkward was if you were the clown who served the pizza." I said as I pulled my long auburn hair into a ponytail.

"Well, parents do things like that. Remember when your father taught you to ride your bicycle without the training wheels?" My mom said.

My dad chuckled as he said "You were so scared when I pushed you on that bike and you were so scared you didn't dare to look back. And you just begged me to hold on." He said.

"Don't let go I'm not ready." He said in a horrible attempt to mimic how I sounded when I was a kid.

"I was terrified of falling." I said.

"I know; you were so scared you didn't notice that I was never holding onto the bike at all. You peddled all by yourself." My dad said and I could see the pride in his eyes as he remembered that big moment we had shared.

"And then you yelled that you weren't holding her, so she panicked and fell right on the sidewalk." My mom said.

"I remember that, I got my first scar from that day." I said.

"I'll have you know, that the moment I saw you fall I rushed over to you and carried you all the way to the hospital." My dad said.

"Yes, I got scar when you stumbled and dropped me." I said.

"Oh, that." My dad said and I could see a great sadness in his eyes. "That was when I felt that I had failed you as a father." He continued.

"Dad!" I said as I walked up to him and rubbed his back. "You're never going to fail me. And once the stitches were removed you encouraged me to jump back up on the bicycle and try again." I said.

"I remember that, after that you were like a girl version of Lance Armstrong." My mom joked.

"Mom, I was good but not that good." I said as I got back to the table.

"Tell that to all the trophies you won, 24 I've counted them." My dad said as he held up the corkscrew in triumph.

"Let's drink." He said as he opened the bottle and filled all our glasses.

"Are you sure you should both drink? One of you are going to have to drive home?" I asked hoping they weren't planning on staying the night here.

"That's ok, I'll just call a cab." My mom said as we all drank from our glasses.

After a while the bottle was empty, mostly thanks to my dad. And my parents had to go home. Even though I hoped to be alone when I got home it was nice to see them again.

After my parents had walked out of my apartment I felt just how tired I was. After I had locked the door I threw off all my clothes on my way from the hallway to my bed. I didn't bother to pick them up, I could always do that tomorrow.

I once I reached my bed I just fell on top of it. My face hit the pillow as I rolled over to my side and pulled the blanket over me.

 **Emily's Pov-**

"Come on 'Old man', if you think you can keep up." I said tauntingly to my dad.

"Old man? I was going to go easy on you, but now you asked for it." My dad said as he almost sprinted towards me on his ice skates.

As he got close I dribbled past him before he even knew what was happening I was stating towards his goal, it was unguarded and I lightly pushed the puck with my hockey stick to make sure I still had it with me.

As I was close enough to his goal I hit the puck with my best slap shot and the puck flew right into his goal.

I looked over to my dad who was struggling to catch his breath. "You know, you can still forfeit and we can call it 5-6 to me." I said.

My dad looked up at me while holding his hockey stick, now mostly to keep his balance.

I skate calmly to the puck and playfully dribbled it on my hockey stick. My dad and I had always played hockey whenever both of us had the time, it was our thing, we had played since I was 6 and now when I was 26 and had gotten my own place I'd still take the time to go with my dad to the Rosewood's hockey rink. But lately his age had caught up with him, but he could still be as proud as he could be stubborn.

"What's the score now?" He asked.

"It's 9-2 to me." I said.

"Well, I'm just letting you win, it's called good parenting." My dad said.

I looked over to the watch in the rink and saw it was almost noon.

"You know mom is going to be here soon, she could watch while we play for a while longer… or we could just call it a draw." I said.

"You know, I'm starting to feel hungry. A draw it is." My dad said and skated over to the scoreboard and quickly changed the score to 6-6.

My dad might be stubborn, but he'll never admit to a clean loss if my mom was near. The first time I almost beat him my mom was standing on the bleachers to watch us play and when I was about to make the final goal my dad would pretend to trip and injure his leg just so he wouldn't have to admit he lost cleanly.

"Ok, so you just go and get ready and I'll text your mom to wait outside for us and we'll go grab some lunch together all three of us." My dad said.

"Sounds good." I said as I left the ice and took off my skates and went to the locker-room to take a shower and get changed.

As I was standing in the shower I felt my aching muscles relax under the hot water, I would sometimes push myself harder so my dad would just admit he couldn't keep up with me but he was too stubborn to admit it.

I liked to hang out with my dad like this, I didn't have much time lately since I'd volunteer at the hospital to help and now they really needed all the help they could get.

I had seen how badly the gangs would harm innocent people. Bruises, broken bones and some very deep cut were only the lucky once, now it was more common with stab wounds and some even had bullet wounds.

I was always terrified when I saw how badly people were assaulted by the gangs and it got worse for each day. I would do my best to help in any way I could, but I had gotten too used to see families leave the hospital in tears after being told some horrible news about a family member.

I knew I couldn't do anything else than what I already did, but I just wished that things would change for the better, for everyone.

"Emily? Are you finished showering yet? You've been in there for twenty minutes." I heard my mom's voice shout from inside the locker room.

"Sorry, I guess I just lost track of time." I said.

"Ok, well hurry up, your father just bought a small bag of Lay's from a vending machine and you know how much I'm trying to keep him off that stuff." My mom said.

"Ok, well I'll be out soon." I said as I picked up my towel and started to dry myself.

"Hurry, or I'm going to stop your father from buying another chips bag." I heard my mom say as she left.

I walked up to a mirror and I wiped away the mist from it so I could get a good look at myself.

I looked at myself working up my best fake smile to fool my parents that I was ok, but I really wasn't all the horrible things I saw made me worried that one day it might be someone I care about that'll become a new victim.

As I got out I saw my mom yanking the bag of Lay's from my dad's hands.

"No more before lunch or I'll divorce you." She said.

"Come on Pammy, you know I'm starving. I played my very best to show Emmy that I still got it." My dad lied.

"Oh really? My mom asked and then she quickly turned to me.

"Emily, what was the final score this time?" She asked.

"Six even." I answered.

"Oh, really." My mom said as she turned back to my dad.

"So it wasn't 12-3 like you said." She continued.

"Well you know our Emmy, she's embarrassed I won with so much she lied." My dad said.

My mom let out an annoyed sigh "Fine be that way then." She said as my dad went in the car and my mom walked up to me.

"So, how did your match really end?" She asked.

"Six even." I lied to her.

"Well, since he could keep up with you it makes sense he's starving." My mom said as we went to the car. As I was about to open the backdoor my mom whispered. "But next time please hold back so he thinks he's as good as he claims." Then she winked as I got in the back seat and she got into the passenger seat next to my dad.

"Next stop 'Apple Rose Grille' I hope you brought your appetites." My dad said as he started to drive to our destination.

 **Paige's Pov-**

"And in other news Mayor Roger Khan says he is about to put a solution to all the recent violence in Rosewood." The news anchor on the TV said.

As soon as I saw Roger Khan's smirking mug I was discussed. I had only seen Rosewood from outside a taxi window but I could tell that this town had changed and it was not for the better.

I looked back at the TV and saw Roger Khan holding a speech in the park.

"These street gangs has polluted our city for too long our deer citizens are getting mugged at night, drugs are being sold almost everywhere and everything that was nice is now vandalized by these gang." He said as the people gathered around him listened to his every word like he was a saint.

Roger Had the same false smirk I had seen on both of his sons, I guess the apple didn't fall far from the tree.

"I promise you that I'll figure out a solution to make our town safe again. This town is all our home and it deserves something better…" I turned off the TV since I was too tired to listen to more of his words.

I couldn't believe how he just used this to get more support from the people. I knew this trick, when I was in the army the terrorist leaders made similar promises to their followers and they just followed their leader blindly because they were promised something they were praying for, something worth dying for.

In anger I got off my couch and went to my closet to get some training clothes, I couldn't stop thinking of how mad I was that Roger Khan had let all these things happened while he was the Mayor and he had used all this gang violence to his advantage to get elected for mayor a second time.

I started to change into my jogging clothes, I knew I couldn't just calm down so I was just going to exercise out my frustrations, just like they had us do in camp when I was in the army.

I changed into a pair of dark tights, a purple tank top and my black sneakers. I pulled my hair into a messy ponytail as I walked down the stairs ready to start my jog.

As soon as I went out the front door I took a few deep breaths before I started to run, I didn't bother bringing my cell phone since I wasn't one of those people who ran to a playlist since I didn't saw the point in it.

I started with some fast walking to get my heartbeat going but it didn't take long for me to pick up my pace and it just took a few seconds before I felt the wind hit me as I moved faster and faster.

After a few minutes I felt some light sweat running down my forehead but I just kept running faster and faster, I lost track of time as I just focused on the path ahead of me so I'd avoid running into someone.

I had no idea for how long I had jogged but when I was too exhausted to keep running I slowed down and I leaned up against a tree to take a few deep breaths before I deiced to walk back home.

I looked at the time and noticed I had been jogging for a little more than two hours and now I really started to feel just how tired I was. I walked over to the nearest bus bench I could see. Once I sat down to rest for a few minutes I reached for my phone just to remember it was still at my apartment.

"Damn it!" I mumbled as I really didn't felt like walking all the way home just now. I sat down and thought about how much everything had changed.

I took a few more breaths feeling the burn in my lungs. I would always push myself to my limit ever since I was young just so I could become better, but it felt like I had pushed myself too far.

After a short while I got up and I instantly felt that all of my muscles were feeling sore from the jogging.

I went around the block where I saw something that made me want to run another lap around the block, Noel Khan. Just as I was about to walk away to avoid him he noticed me and I could see his discussing smirk spread all over his face as he looked at me holding some girl close to him, she must be his current trophy.

"Paige McCullers, the one girl from High school who didn't slept with me." Noel said being his cocky self.

"Noel Khan, I wouldn't even kiss you if we were the last two people on earth." I answered as he walked up to me holding tight around his girl's waist.

"I see you never grew up." Noel said.

"Neither did you. How long has daddy's wallet paid for your screw-ups?" I asked.

Noel then whispered something into his girl's ear and the girl just smiled and walked into a nearby coffee shop, Noel slapped her butt as she left. Once the girl had walked into the coffee shop Noel looked back at me, now there was a bringing anger in his eyes.

"Those are some brave words coming from a thief." Noel said in a very hostile voice.

"I only broke into your house to take back the money you stolen from the other students." I said.

"I gave them what they paid for, it was just honest business." Noel said.

"You sold a faulty product, consider what I did as their refund." I said.

It was true, Noel had once charged all students forty dollars to get them fake IDs but he gave them IDs that he got them where so bad not even a drunk security guard would fall for them. So one night I sneaked into his house in the middle of the night and found the money the students had paid him but when I was sneaking out I got careless and I woke Noel up as I climbed out his window. He tried to stop me but he was too late and I knew he wasn't going to tell anyone since then he'd have to explain where he had gotten that much money from.

The next morning at school I returned the money to the students, it felt really good to see the look on Noel's face as he saw me return the money.

Noel was grinding his teeth in anger as he remembered that morning.

"You're lucky I didn't report you to the police, I wonder how your daddy would have felt if his little girl gave him another reason to feel disappointed." Noel said, he had always tried to use my sexuality to get on my nerves, but I'd never give him that satisfaction.

"Your luck has lasted so far, but I promise you it's going to run out if you're going to stay here in Rosewood so you better leave before I lose my good mood." Noel said and just as he had finished his sentence he suddenly smiled widely and his girl came out from the coffee shop carrying two to go mugs.

"As she walked towards Noel I said. "Hey, if I were you I'd get myself checked." And the girl just stopped in her track and glared at Noel.

I saw Noel getting mad as he walked up to his girl, giving me a threatening look.

As they walked away, I had no idea what Noel meant but I wasn't afraid of him.

 **Emily's Pov-**

After I had eaten with my parents I went straight to the hospital to help out in any way that I could. Today we were lucky. This was one of those days when we mostly got patients with minor injuries, but I still stayed for a while to help out with my friends Hanna, Aria and Spencer. We had all grown up in Rosewood and we wanted others to be as lucky as we had been.

Neither one of us worked at the hospital we were all just volunteers.

"Emily, I know you do this to help but you really should try to have fun once in a while." Hanna said to me as I helped a kid whit his band-aid.

"Here is where I need to be." I said as I ruffled the boy's hair to reassure him that he was going to be fine.

"I know you feel like that Em, but you deserve to have some fun of your own as well." Hanna explained.

I ignored Hanna and handed the boy a chocolate chip cookie. "Here you go sport, now just wait a few days and that ash will be healed." I said and he hugged me right before he dashed off to his parents.

"You are really good with kids." A doctor said as she walked up to us.

"I used to babysit when I was younger." I said.

"You're Emily Fields, right?" The doctor asked me as he was eyeing me up and down, probably looking for a nametag.

"Yes, that's me." I said.

"I'm Dr. Jack Shepard and I've heard a lot of things about you from the staff." He said and as I was about to answer Hanna cleared her throat, sounding annoyed that I had ignored her.

"Yeah, me and my friends just want to help out." I said and pulled Hanna next to me so she'd get some recognition.

"We are very grateful for your help; if you drop my name at the cafeteria you can have a free coffee on me." Jack said.

"I'll keep that in mind." I said and then Jack was about to say something else but a nurse ran up to him and said that it was urgent, Jack quickly excused himself and ran with the nurse.

"He seemed like a nice guy." I said and turned to Hanna who suddenly was gone.

"Hanna? Hanna where are you?" I called after her and then I remembered what Jack had said about a free coffee, Hanna would never decline that. Typical her.

After a few hours I checked my time. I noticed that I had to hurry home since it was getting late and I knew too well that the street gangs would grow much braver when it's dark. I hurried to the parking lot and I dug around in my coat pockets desperately searching for my keys. Hanna, Spencer and Aria had already left but I had decided to stay and help a bit longer and now I started to doubt that it was a good idea.

I looked up to see a stranger walking towards me. I didn't get a close look at the person I just panicked and kept searching in my pockets for my car keys as I panicked and tried to find my keys.

I looked into the rearview mirror of my car to see that the stranger was standing behind me and I felt shivers all the way down my spine.

I felt an arm on my shoulder and I quickly turned around and threw a right hook to defend myself, but the stranger blocked my punch by grabbing my wrists and holding it in a firm grip.

"Whoa! Easy there." A very calming voice said. And as I looked at my attacker that looked nothing like what I thought I had seen, this was a young woman that was about my age, she was wearing a pair of dark tights and a purple tank top. She had a very athletic physique and two big brown eyes. My eyes trailed up and down her body as I noticed that she was glistening a bit and her chest rose and fell as she was breathing.

I snapped back to reality as I noticed I was checking her out. Come on Em, focus. I looked back up at her, she was smiling at me and she didn't seem hostile at all. She let go of my wrist and I smiled sheepishly.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were going to mug me." I said. Crap now she'll think I assumed she looked like a gangster.

"That's ok, I've noticed how bad this town has gotten." She said. "By the way, you dropped these." She continued and handed me my car keys.

I sighed relieved and unlocked my car. "I didn't even notice that I dropped them." I said as I put the keys in my pocket.

"I'm Emily, Emily Fields." I said and reached out my hand to the woman that was standing in front of me.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Paige, Paige McCullers." She answered.

I almost jumped as I heard her say that. "McCullers? As in the police Detective?" I asked without thinking. I remembered Nick McCullers he was one of the few people who thought Rosewood still could be saved, he was one of the few good people who lived here.

"Yeah, he is my dad." Paige said.

My dad had told me a lot about Nick McCullers since they used to be partners, I had met both Nick and his wife Susanne before but I had never heard them mentioning anything about having a daughter or any kids for that matter.

"Are you here to visit your parents?" I asked.

"Actually I live here… or I used to live here, I've been out of town for years." Paige said.

"I grew up here but now it feels strange. So much have changed." Paige continued.

I was a bit surprised to hear Paige say that, I've been living here for all of my life but I have pretty much forgotten how this town used to be.

"If you don't mind me asking, for how long have you been gone from Rosewood?" I asked.

"I'd say about five years ago." Paige answered.

"Five years!" I gasped. I instantly covered my mouth in embarrassment, what's wrong with me?

"Yeah, I've been traveling to a lot of places, Spain, France, Japan, Russia just to mention a few." Paige said.

As Paige told me that I wanted to let out a 'wow' but luckily I could keep my mouth under control this time, I wanted to stay longer and talk with Paige but I remembered that I had to get home.

"I'm sorry but I forgot that I was in a bit of a rush to get home." I said.

"I can give you a lift to your place." I offered Paige.

"No, I live nearby. I can walk home." She answered.

"Are you sure? You haven't been around these last few years. The streets aren't safe at night." I explained to Paige, now I felt more worried about her than I was for my own safety.

"Don't worry about me, I took a lot of self-defense classes as a kid. My dad was ridiculously protective over me." Paige said not sounding worried, but she really should be.

"I'm serious Paige, if you don't want me to drive you that's fine but you should really get home and lock all doors." I warned Paige, she seemed to be a really nice person and I didn't want anything bad too happened to her.

"Ok, I will. And don't worry I just live a five-minute walk away from here." Paige said.

"Ok, just be careful." I said and then we shared our goodbyes and I went into my car and started the engine. I was about to ask Paige if she was sure she didn't want me to drive her home but she was already out of my sight so I just drove home and hurried to lock the door as soon as I was at my place.

"Ok, Paige I don't know much about you, but I sure hope you got home safe." I said to myself as I walked up to my refrigerator and tried to decide what to cook for dinner.

 **Paige's Pov-**

Emily Fields seemed like a really nice person, I would have asked her out but she was probably already spoken for it, I had never been very lucky in love. Most of the girls I was into were either straight or just experimenting so my dating life had been very far from successful.

I started to walk home and I noticed how empty the streets had suddenly gotten if it wasn't for the lights from the houses and the streetlights I would have thought I was in a ghost town.

As I kept walking home I noticed how much colder it had gotten, as goosebumps started to form on my arms I started to wonder if it was a mistake to not accept Emily's offer of driving me to my place. I started to lightly jog to get home to my warm apartment faster. As I jogged all I could think off was to get to my bathroom for a nice hot shower. I tried to not put too much force as I light jogged so I wouldn't catch a cold from sweating in the cold weather.

I was almost home, my apartment was just around the corner, but when I crossed the final street I suddenly heard a shriek that was cut short, as if someone was muffled. I traced the sound from an alley and I started to very quietly sneaked to where I had heard the shriek from.

As I sneaked as quiet as I possibly could I saw two men standing at the end of the alley, I moved up behind a nearby crate to get a better look at what was going on.

When I peeked over the crate I could see that one of the men was standing in front of a girl, his hand was covering her mouth and her back was pushed up against the building behind her. The man was holding a butterfly knife and he pressed its flat side against the girls' cheek, very close to her left eye.

"You fucking bitch, I told you to be quiet." The man said as the girl cried completely terrified while her eyes were pleading for mercy.

"Look at this." The other man said as he was digging through a purse, probably the girls. "It's just worthless crap." He said as he threw the purse on the ground and its contents fell out, all over the cold asphalt.

I knew I had to act fast, I reached to the back of my thighs just to be reminded that I didn't have a gun or anything to use as a weapon. Before I had any time to figure out a plan I got pushed and my head hit the side of the crate before I fell on the asphalt. When I tried to get up a hand grabbed the base of my ponytail and dragged me up to my feet. I was forced to walk up towards the two men who were now looking at me.

"Look what I found here, a rat who should have kept out of our business." A woman's' voice said as I felt her grip on my ponytail tighten and she pulled my hair back to try to make me squeal but I wasn't going to give her that satisfaction.

"Oh, looks like we got someone who thinks she is tough. Those persons are fun… to break." She said and pulled my ponytail back further so I was forced to lean back, still refusing to show any signs of pain, then she pressed her lips against mine and she started to suck on my upper lip, I had no idea what was happening to me. I felt that her hand had let go of my ponytail but I couldn't bring myself to break apart from her kiss.

"That's a good girl." She said after she broke the kiss. Then she pushed me towards the two men who stood ready to beat me up, the girl they had mugged was sitting behind a dumpster, trying to hide behind it.

"You're not so tough are you?" The first man said as I found my balance.

He threw a right hook at me but I jumped back to dodge it. I kept my distance as the man walked up to me, having a very confident smile on his face. He threw another punch at me but I quickly blocked it and before he had any time to react I threw a quick uppercut that hit him right on his nose.

The man cried out in pain as he covered his nose with both hands and then he looked at me and I could see him getting furious as blood seeped through his hands.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" He almost roared as he charged at me but I just sidestepped him so he ran right into the other man.

"Watch out you idiot!" The other man yelled as he pushed away his partner from himself.

"Stop complaining and help me!" The first man yelled and then both men walked up to fight me.

Both of them walked up on their opposite side of me to try to corner me, what they didn't know is when I'm in a position like that I fight with all I have. I kicked the first man's shin as hard as I could, knowing it was going to earn me a few seconds. I quickly focused on the other man and I managed to block one of his punches at the last second. I threw a hard punch to his jaw and then I was about to throw another punch at him but my arms were held back from behind me.

"Now Jonathan get her!" The man behind me yelled and as Jonathan ran up to hit me I quickly kicked him right in his face with both of my feet at once. Then I did a reverse head-butt to the man then was holding my arms, hitting him in his already broken nose and the pain forced him to let go of me.

I didn't have a moment to catch my breath before Jonathan tried to attack me again, this time he threw a left punch my way but I dodged it and hit his elbow with a well-placed punch of my own. He groaned in anger as he ran to tackle me. I wasn't going to let him win I stood still and waited for him to come close enough then when he was just a second away from hitting me I dodged under his right arm while I also grabbed his arm and used his momentum against him to threw him at the crate that I had earlier hidden behind. The crate broke as he landed on it and I could tell that the fight was out of Jonathan.

The other man was standing up holding his butterfly knife, he looked at me with an almost insane look as he screamed furiously.

He walked up to me, much slower since he was slightly limping from my kick. We walked around in circles as I waited for him to attack me. I could be patient but I could see that the man I was fighting was getting more frustrated by the second and that made him impatient.

He eventually slashed at me with the knife but I dodged it with ease since I was too far away from him to let him catch me off guard. He slashed at me with his knife a few more times and I jumped back so I just stayed out of his reach, forcing him to move in closer, he thought he had the advantage but I was just luring him into thinking he was in control of this fight.

He made one final attempt to stab me and I dodged him once again, but this time I grabbed his right arm and threw him over my back so he fell onto the ground. When I saw that he still had a grip on his butterfly knife I grabbed his wrist with my left hand and with my right hand I punched his forearm over and over again until I heard that his arm broke and he lost his grip of the knife.

I picked up the butterfly knife and my survival instincts told me to slit his throat open. I quickly shook that thought out of my head and dropped the knife on the ground and then I kicked it away so it was out of reach for either one of those men.

I was about to check the girl to make sure she was ok but a very sarcastic applauded made me focus on something else, the woman who had made me fight those guys. Now I made sure to take a good look at the woman who had made me fight those me. She was standing under direct light and she had a slightly impressed look. She had very dark hair and brown eyes, she looked like she was about my height and her skin had a very dark texture.

"Very impressive, those two were supposed to be my bodyguards and you beat them without a scratch, I guess I underestimated you." She said.

"Who are you?" I asked and the woman smiled. "I am Shana, I'm the top lieutenant of 'The Black Hoods'" She said and she used that title like it was a trophy.

"You're a gang member." I said as she picked up the butterfly knife.

"I'm much more than that, you should join us. I can tell when someone is an asset…" She said and then she looked over to the two men I had beaten up. "… or just a liability."

"I'm not going to join you." I said and Shana shrugged. "You're the first one to refuse me. Not that it matters." She continued as she walked up to me and leaned close to my ear and said in a low husky voice "I always get what I want in the end."

Then she dropped the butterfly knife in my hands and started to walk. "Keep the knife dear, you've deserved a trophy." She said as she walked out of the alley and entered a car that drove away.

I looked over to the dumpster where the girl was still sitting crawled up.

"It's over you can come out now." I said and the girl slowly got out of her hiding spot.

She looked like she was a teenager, he had dark hair and bright skin. She looked over to the men I had knocked out then she looked back at me and asked. "How did you defeat them all by yourself?"

"I was in the army." I answered. "What's your name?" I asked.

"I'm _Sydney_ Driscoll, who are you?" She asked.

"Paige McCullers." I answered as Sydney picked up her purse and checked if some of her stuff were ok.

"Do you live here?" I asked.

"No, I'm just looking for a place to crash. I'm a college student at Adam's College, I'm studying art there and I don't want to live on campus." She said.

"You must be very desperate to find a place to live here." I said.

"It's a 15 minutes' bus drive away from my college and the monthly rent was so cheap I thought I should give this place a chance." Sydney said.

"Well, I guess you know why the rent is low in this neighborhood." I said.

"I know, but I can't stay on campus, my roommate is a nightmare and I don't want to live with my parents anymore." Sydney said.

I felt sorry for her and as I helped her to get the stuff that had fallen out of her purse I remembered how lonely I had it in my apartment and it had a spare room so Sydney could stay with me for a while, besides I had always wanted a baby sister.

"You know, if you really want a place to stay you can live with me." I offered.

"Really?" Sydney asked and her face brightened with joy.

"Yes, I just moved here and it gets lonely in my apartment and there is a spare room you can have." I offered and Sydney answered by instantly hug me.

"Thank you thank you thank you thank you." She exclaimed with excitement.

"Ok, easy there." I said and broke out of her grip.

"Let's get home before these two wake up again I said and Sydney nodded."

We went out of the alley and Sydney stayed very close to me as we got to my apartment and I offered Sydney to borrow my bed for the night but she said she'd rather sleep on the couch, it was just for today anyway, tomorrow we were going to drive to Adam's College and get her stuff so she could move into my spare room, but right now both of us just needed to get a good night's sleep.


	2. Chapter 2: Protect

**Chapter 2: Protect**

 **Paige's Pov-**

"Hey, Syd. I'm going out for a run care to join me?" I asked as I laced up my sneakers ready to get some exercise.

"Sorry, I got an art project to work on." Sydney answered from her room. She had just moved in a few days ago and it already felt like she had lived here for a very long time. We had already gotten all her stuff from her college dorm and I helped her get set up in my spare room which now where her room. I liked having her around; it was like having a baby sister.

"Ok, I'll be back in a few minutes." I said, as I made sure I had my keys and then I put on my jacket since it was getting cold outside.

As I walked out of the building I took a few deep breaths and then I took a few quick steps to get started, I picked up my pace with each step and after a few seconds I was jogging at a very quick pace.

I wasn't working out any frustrations this time so I figured I should go easier and I slowed down a bit but I still kept a quick pace.

As I felt the relatively cool breeze of air hit me I closed my eyes and stretched out my arms to fully enjoy it, it was cold enough to make me pull my zipper all the way up but not too cold.

I got lost in the moment, enjoying every second of it before I realized that I might bump into something when I'm running around like a 'T' so I opened my arms and lowered my arms, I felt very lucky that no one had seen me.

I crossed a street and entered a park where a jogged a few laps around the pond that were in the middle of it.

I couldn't help but think back to that night a few days ago when I fought against the two thugs I could feel the adrenalin rush to my brain and I fought for my life just like when I was in the army. Everything around me happened so fast but I could just keep up and predict what to do with just one goal in my mind, to protect.

The first and at the time only reason to why I joined the army might have been so I could get a paying job and tell my parents that I had dropped out of college, but as I kept serving I learnt that the thing that motivates and inspires is because we have something or someone back home that we want to keep safe, protecting my family and keeping them safe made it feel like I finally did something that mattered and that's why I stayed in the army and fought to protect.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" an aggressive voice yelled and I remembered that I brought back to reality.

I noticed a homeless man sitting and shouting at me, I had apparently almost stepped on him when I spaced out.

I kept jogging as I looked back over my shoulder and replied with a simple "I'm sorry!" as I ran past him and decided I should go somewhere else.

I kept jogging in the open areas where I knew for sure that no gang would dare to attack me after all, it was daytime and a mugging would just attract too much-unwanted attention.

The alleys seemed to be the best place for a possible gang ambush so I wasn't going to walk into one of them, not anymore.

I was breathing heavily as I pushed myself harder to pick up my pace, it seemed that I was going to jog for longer than I intended but I didn't really mind it. It just felt nice to be outside even though most things I remembered from my childhood wasn't here anymore.

I kept doubting if I should have returned, when I was traveling there were a few places where I'd rather have stayed and settled down, met a nice woman and start a family. That thought hadn't crossed my mind much I had spent most of the time trying to find myself by searching everywhere. My parents were the biggest reason I had returned home, maybe when Sydney moves out I can convince them to leave Rosewood with me and settle down anywhere else.

 **Emily's Pov-**

My bed felt so soft, I didn't felt like getting up but I knew I had to eventually, in the meantime I just wanted to cuddle up in my warm bed, the only thing that would make this better would be if I had that special someone lying next to me.

I closed my eyes and grabbed at the sheets to where I could imagine the love of my life was going to be someday.

The paradise of my made up illusion was shattered by my alarm clock's annoyingly loud noise.

I forced myself out of my comfortable sheets and reached for the annoying siren that was now forcing me to give up the happy feeling of my daydreaming fantasy with a new goal in mind. 'Kill it, kill it, with fire!'

I shook off my anger and pressed the off button and calm was restored.

My first instinct was to crawl back into bed but now it was too late, I was too awoken to just roll over and got back to sleep, instead I got out of my bed and prepare for this day.

First of all, I got out of my t-shirt and boxers and walked to the bathroom to get a shower, the bathroom was a few rooms away but since I lived alone and all the drapes were closed I didn't really have a reason to cover up.

I just walked to the bathroom and once I was there I reached into the shower stall to turn on the water, it was always cold at first so I just reached in and turned on the water and then I quickly pulled out my arm to avoid the almost ice-cold stream that came from the showerhead. While I waited for the water to get warmer I checked myself in the mirror to decide what I was going to do today, I was a successful author, but I used the fake name 'Demise Filly' which was an anagram of my real name. I had gotten a few books published some years ago but once I had finished my successful book series called 'Lone Officer' I had gotten major writers' block.

Lone Officer was a three-book crime story I had written about a police officer named Rune Hallinder who had gotten caught up in a massive complot that involved bribed police officers who were covering up for a drug lord. When Rune found out too much the mafia came after him, killing his family and he got framed for their murder so he had to go under hiding and break a few laws to prove his innocence.

I had written three books and the last one surprised everyone when I had Rune getting ambushed and shot to death just when he was minutes away from succeeding in his five-year-long task.

Those books had paid for everything I owned and for the last year I had tried to start a new book but when I sat down to start writing I got nothing so I started to volunteer at the hospital to break my old pattern and when I felt that I really was helping and it felt good so I kept helping in any way that I could.

When I saw mist forming on the mirror I knew the water was warm so I entered the shower and the warm stream of water that welcomed me was a delight.

Enjoying every second in the warm shower I leaned my head back and let the water pour down my chest all the way down my legs groaning a bit as the water slightly heated up my body. I pushed my soaking wet hair behind my shoulder and took a small step forward as I turned around and placed my hands against the wall to let the warm stream pour down my back, there was no greater feeling for me than getting a hot shower in the morning.

I grabbed a bottle of my Finesse Volumizing Shampoo, it always made my hair feel soft and even though I had dark hair the shampoo would still make it shine like in the commercials. I squeezed out a few globes of the shampoo in my hands and rubbed my palms together before I moved my hands to my hair and spread it out equally over my hair making sure to cover all of it before I closed my eyes and rinsed out my hair. I stayed in the shower for a few more minutes and let the water roll down me as I stood directly under the shower head, I wished I had someone with me in here, someone that would join me in my morning showers and give me an excuse to stay in longer and make sure we both were clean before we would get out.

I let out a sigh as I grabbed a bar of soap and started to rub the hard bar against my soft skin as I started with my arms, trailing the white bar up and down my skin and watched as it started to lather against me and the lather instantly where flushed off me, leaving me with a smooth and clean skin. I kept thinking about what would happen if I had someone with me in the shower as I moved the bar over my chest, rubbing the soap close to my breasts. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine that another person did this to me as I moved the soap around both of my breasts as I started to breathe faster and faster I moved the bar up my left breast feeling the thrill as the soap was pressed against my soft breast.

My breathing got faster and faster as I slowly moved the soap but my breast and once it made contact to my already rock hard nipple a huge sensation of pleasure was sent to my brain and I moaned as a mixture of pain and pleasure hit me.

I couldn't take it anymore, as I kept soaping my breasts with my left hand I moved my right hand down to my dripping wet center, the mix of my fantasy and the water the was making me feel hotter for every second had gotten me horny and once my right hand had reached its destination I didn't waste a single second to thrust two of my fingers inside me.

I thrust my fingers deep inside me and the mix of pain and pleasure made me whimper softly as I kept playing with myself my left hand had now moved to my other breast and was busy paying it the same attention as I had given my other breast and my right hand was thrusting in synchronized rhythm, I could feel myself standing on the brink of cumming, I was beyond the point of no return and now I needed to finish this now. I picked up my pace and brought myself past the brink.

I slowly dropped to the floor as I rode out my hard orgasm, I sat down and breathed slowly as I recovered from my fantasy getting the better of me, it felt good but I wanted it to feel amazing and the only way for me to feel like that was if someone else did it to me, someone I could love and who loved me back.

I sat there for a few minutes until I could bring myself to get up. I turned off the water and once I exit the shower I was hit by a cold breeze that made me shiver.

I quickly grabbed a towel and started to dry myself off before I wrapped the towel around me and then I got my hair dryer to dry out my hair as well. As I blow dried my hair I started to wonder if I shouldn't try to find someone who I could live with, someone I could be myself with and feel safe around.

 **Paige's Pov-**

I had just returned to my apartment from my jog. I was all sweaty and I really needed a shower. Once I got to the door I noticed that it was still unlocked, that must mean that Sydney was still home.

I walked in and hung up my jacket and kicked off my sneakers. I walked towards my bedroom to get a change of clothes to wear after my shower and when I was about to take off my jogging tights when the door to Sydney's room opened and a guy walked out, completely naked.

"Oh, you must be Paige." The stranger said.

I tried to avoid looking at him, this was incredibly embarrassing. I knew Sydney was a legal adult but I couldn't shake the thought of what could have happened in Sydney's room while I was out.

"Yeah, how do you know Sydney?" I asked, holding my hand next to my face and did my very best to not turn my head his direction.

"I'm helping her with her project." He said, not seeming to care that he was naked.

I could hear his footsteps as he walked past me to the sink and he poured himself a glass of water.

"Matt! I'm not paying you to take breaks, get back in here!" Sydney's shouted from her room.

I was shocked when I heard Sydney saying that, did she buy a prostitute? I stood like that completely paralyzed.

"Sorry, the work is calling." The guy said and as he ran back I caught a quick glimpse of him, he had a very athletic upper body, short hair and I even saw the tip of his 'elephant trunk' as he almost marched into her room. If I wasn't gay before I sure was now.

I didn't dare to get a shower now. I was worried that he'd walk in on me naked when I was in there or if I was out of the shower and dried myself off.

I just sat down on a chair and waited either for Sydney to scream or for the guy to leave, I wasn't sure if I should walk into Sydney's room or not. Who knew what was going on in her room? I just sat and waited for the guy to leave so I could ask Sydney what she was doing.

After almost two hours the door opened and the guy left, this time he was fully clothed, Sydney walked out after him and handed him a bunch of cash.

"You did a great job; I think I'll get an A for this." She said to the guy who accepted the money.

"The pleasure was all mine." He said. I'm sure he thought so. Once he was out of my apartment I walked up to Sydney to ask her what she was doing.

"Hi, Syd. Who was that guy?" I asked.

"His name is Matt Clyde, my former roommate said she had worked with him on an earlier project and said he was great so I got his number and he had no problem coming here." Sydney said.

"Ok, and this project you two were working on, did it turn out well?" I asked, feeling beyond uncomfortable.

"Yeah, Matt was amazing, much better than Chris, that guy was worthless." Sydney said.

Holy shit, did she do these kinds of things regularly? The image I hand in my mind of Sydney had really changed now, I knew she was over eighteen but this was a bit too much.

"That's… good, I hope that won't affect your studies." I said with a forced smile.

"What do you mean?" Sydney asked.

"I think you know what I mean. You were working on a 'project' with Matt." I said making air quotes when I said the word 'project'.

Sydney let out an annoyed sigh and grabbed my arm. "Come here, there is something I have to show you." She dragged me to her room, I was a bit worried about what she was about to show me.

"Look over there." Sydney said and pointed to where she wanted me to look. I saw a painting of Matt where he was sitting on a stool holding a red rose in his hand and he was just as naked as when I saw him before.

"We got an assignment to make a drawing of something concrete but focus on the surrounding areas, like the light or shadows. We were allowed to draw whatever we wanted just as long as we focused on the areas around the object as well as the object itself." Sydney explained.

"Matt is a nude model, he is very professional and he can do almost any pose." Sydney continued.

I kept looking at the painting and I could tell that Sydney did a really fantastic job, she really had an eye for details and she really knew her colors.

"It's good." I said, very relieved that Sydney hadn't hired a prostitute.

"I know, I'm the best." Sydney said very confidently.

"And Paige…" Sydney said and yanked my t-shirt. "You should get a shower, you really stink." She said.

"You're right, I'm going right away." I said and left Sydney to her paintings, I sure was glad she was focusing on her studies but I really hope she won't make nude art a regular thing now.

That night:

I was sitting on my couch and watched some TV. It had been a very slow day and I just wanted to relax. Sydney walked up and jumped down on the couch and sat next to me.

"So, what are we watching?" She asked.

"Nothing, I can't find anything good." I said as I kept scrolling through the channels.

"Can I ask you something?" Sydney said.

Since I didn't saw a problem with that I just replied by saying "Sure."

"How hot wasn't Matt?" She asked, sounding like she was about to start giggle.

"I'm not talking to you about that." I said hoping she'd drop it but instead she nudged me and said "Come on Paigey didn't you saw him? That face, those abs, that big ol…"

"I don't want to talk about it!" I snapped at her.

"Geesh, if you act like this around guys they might think you're a lesbian." Sydney said.

That's when I remembered that I hadn't told Sydney that I was gay. It had sort of slipped my mind these last few days she had been living here.

"Well actually… I am." I said hoping she wouldn't freak out.

"Oh, you are…" Sydney said, she sounded unsure about finishing her question.

"Yes Syd, I'm gay." I said.

I was prepared that she might move away from me but she just sat there and shrugged.

"You're ok with that?" I asked.

"Why wouldn't I be ok with it? It's 2017 not 1955, I don't mind gay people, I actually got a gay uncle and everyone in my family accepts him." She said almost sounding like she was giving me a lecture.

"You're right I guess I'm just too used being defensively around people." I said, that was probably the best excuse I could figure out. "When my unit in the army was on patrols we had to pretty much expect that everyone we saw was willing to attack us." I said, that part was true, I might have exaggerated it a bit but it was true.

Sydney nodded and then she leaned back on the couch and I kept checking the channels to find if there was something worth watching.

After I had scrolled through almost every channel for what felt like the hundredth time without finding something that seemed interesting I handed Sydney the remote "I give up, you pick something." I said and Sydney wasted little time switching to MTV.

"No, not this channel." I said and grabbed a couch cushion and held it in front of my face.

"What? Are you against music or something?" Sydney said and turned up the volume.

"No, I just don't like that channel, it was good when it just showed music vids but now it's just like any other network channel." I said and started to consider throwing the cushion at her and take the remote out of her hands.

"It still plays music." Sydney said and got up to dance to the sounds that came out from the TV.

"Come on, dance with me." She said as she tried to get me to join her.

"Not a chance." I said as I tried to hide that I was laughing at her ridiculous and obviously improvised dance moves.

"Why?" She asked as she pouted.

"For starters that isn't a music vid you're dancing to, that's a promo for a 'Faking it' marathon." I said as Sydney turned around and saw that I was right.

She let out an annoyed groan as she turned off the TV and then she flopped down next to me on the couch.

I looked over to her and I got that big sister feeling, I felt that she trusted me and that she knew I'd be there for her if she needed me. I knew I wasn't in the army anymore, but it felt nice to have someone to protect.

 **Emily's Pov-**

I woke up once again from the tormenting sound from my alarm clock and just as every day I turned it off by myself. I started with my usual routine getting ready for the day; Shower, dry off, get dressed, eat breakfast and then I tried to write a draft to begin a new book and as usual there was nothing to write, not a single damn idea come to my mind and I just ended up in what looked like a staring contest with my laptop.

As much as I tried to force myself to write something I never felt that my heart was in it so I'd eventually scratch an idea out of my mind before I had pressed the first letter on my keyboard.

"I hate you!" I growled frustrated at my laptop. Knowing I wasn't going to write anything today I closed my laptop.

"Why can't I write anything?" I asked as I held up my coffee cup to take another sip just to notice that it was empty.

"Damn." I muttered and placed the coffee cup back at the table looking at my closed laptop, it felt like it was mocking me.

I was about to put my coffee cup in the dishwasher when suddenly I felt something covering my eyes.

My heart pounded like a drum and my mind traveled to a lot of horrible places before I understood what was happening.

"Guess whom?" A voice said, I could tell that it was muffled and I knew right away whom it was.

"Hanna Marin." I calmly said and the hands that had covered my eyes moved away from my face. I turned to Hanna to see her standing there having her childish smile covering her face, she had always liked to pull childish pranks on us but it was nothing I couldn't handle.

"You know, you really shouldn't do those pranks, everyone here is always on edge ever since Roger Khan became the mayor." I explained.

"Sorry, I just couldn't resist." Hanna said. Hanna was one of the most unbelievable persons I knew, when she graduated college she got busy, she almost instantly got a job as an assistant for a fashion designer and eventually she got promoted and started eventually to design her own brand of clothing, I had on occasions dropped by her office to surprise her but when I saw here there she was focused on her work and she took everything seriously, but once she was hanging out with us outside her work she went back to being the funny and slightly childish girl I knew from my childhood.

"Oh and there is one more thing." Hanna said, reaching into her coat pocket and then she said "Here, catch!"

She had suddenly thrown a small object in the air, I tried to catch it as it flew its way to me, I was lucky all the times I played Ice hockey with my dad had given me quick reflexes. I managed to catch the object my friend had thrown.

I open my hand to notice that Hanna had thrown my spare key to me.

"So that's how you got in." I said as I looked back at Hanna and pocketed the key.

"You really should hide it in a better place than under the doormat, almost anyone who breaks in starts to check there." Hanna said as she walked up to my coffee maker to get her 'Morning booster'.

"Hey! You're out of coffee." She cried out when she saw that it was empty.

"I wasn't expecting someone to sneak into my house." I said.

"Good point." Hanna said and she pulled out a chair from the table and sat down facing me.

"So? Any progress writing a new bestseller?" She asked.

"No, I still got writer's block." I said as I sat down on the chair on the opposite side of the table.

Hanna's smile dropped slightly as she heard what I said and she looked like she had no idea of what she was going to say. She kept trying to adjust herself as she tried to figure out what to say.

"Hanna, it's ok. I don't expect to just magically know how to write a new bestseller." I said to get Hanna to calm down.

"Well… it's not like you need to write another success." Hanna finally said. "Your last books were huge bestsellers." She continued.

"To be fair, I never wrote 'Lone Officer' to become a famous author, I wrote it because I loved to create a story and I wanted to know if people would enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed creating it." I answered.

Hanna then picked up one of the books and read the cover loudly. "You know, I never understood why you chose that title." She said as she held the book for me to see. "I mean wouldn't it make better sense if you'd just call it 'Alone Officer' or 'Officer Alone'?" Hanna asked.

"I know you think so, but I thought 'Lone Officer' would give the story more mystery so I decided to go with that." I answered.

"Ok, but still. It's an odd title." Hanna said as she got up. "Come on, let's go get some coffee." She said sounding like she tried to encourage me to join her. I should have known she'd ask me to go with her, but I really didn't mind it at all.

"Ok, I'll just get my purse and we'll go to The Brew." I said, knowing that it was our favorite coffee shop.

"Yay! I'll wait for you by my car." Hanna smiled as she walked out the front door and I went to my table and grabbed my purse.

I made sure to check that I had everything I needed, wallet, Id, keys, cell phone and… I kept digging in my purse as I noticed that something was missing, my stun gun.

I was about to empty my purse over the table as I remembered that I had put it in the charger. I picked up my purse and went upstairs to my bedroom, I always had my charger on my nightstand so I'd have quick access to it if there was an emergency.

When I reached my bedroom I saw the stun gun sitting in its place where it always had been since my dad gave it to me. He gave it to me a few days after I had moved in, he said that he wanted to know I'd be safe and if I was lucky I'd never had to use it.

The charger said it was fully loaded as I unplugged it and placed the stun gun in my pocket hoping I'd never have to use it.

"Emily? Are you coming?" Hanna's voice echoed from downstairs.

"Yeah, I'm just getting my keys." I lied and made sure that my purse was closed so Hanna wouldn't notice that I had brought a weapon.

With my purse properly closed I dashed downstairs before Hanna got really impatient.

I almost sprinted out to my porch where Hanna stood impatiently tapping her foot against the wood floor and checking her watch.

"What took you so long?" She asked as I locked the door.

"Sorry, I lost my keys." I said holding up the keys to show Hanna that I had them now.

"Ok, now come on, they might run out of coffee." Hanna said as she almost pushed me to her car.

"Hanna! That happened one time, and it was because the coffee machine was broken down." I explained but Hanna didn't care as she was acting like an impatient kid.

I got into her car on the passenger side and Hanna looked like she was going to slide over the car's hood like they do in the movies, but she didn't.

Hanna wasted little time starting her car and as soon as she had backed it up on the streets she started to drive to the brew, I was a little worried she was going to drive over the speed limit.

"So, how are things between you and Caleb?" I asked.

"Things could be better, we haven't spent much quality time together lately, it's either my job forcing me to be out of town or he is forced to work late because someone can't use a computer." Hanna said.

Caleb worked as a computer engineer and he was doing incredibly at it, there was almost nothing that man couldn't do with a computer. Unfortunately his company wasn't doing too well and there was a chance the company would shut down.

"I'm worried about him, the company has already had to dismiss eight of its staff, and I'm worried that Caleb's next." Hanna said, sounding very worried over him.

"He is the best guy to ever work behind a computer screen, he'll be one of the last persons to get dismissed." I said in an attempt to reassure Hanna.

"That won't help if the company goes bankrupt." Hanna said.

"So, Caleb will just find another job. He shouldn't have much trouble finding something where he can use his computer skills." I said.

Hanna nodded as she drove around a few more blocks until she reached The Brew. Hanna parked her car and we both got in and ordered our coffee, Hanna had an Americano and I took a decaf, I had already had too much caffeine for one day.

Once we got our coffees Hanna and I sat down at a table like we had done ever since we were in high school.

"You know, I've missed this." Hanna said, sipping her coffee.

"I know what you mean." I answered, I almost wanted to call Aria and Spencer to see if they could join us but I didn't want to bother them in case they were busy.

"So, Emily anything on the 'Love front'?" Hanna asked putting emphasis at the end of her question.

"Nothing there." I said and Hanna sank down in her seat. "Emily, you should try to find someone." She said.

"Why are you always more interested in my love life than your own?" I asked.

"Because you always need a push." Hanna said but I decided to ignore her and nonchalantly drink my coffee. "I'm serious Em, you're terrible at noticing when a girl is interested in you. It's like your lesbidar is broken.

I choked on my coffee when Hanna said that, the coffee burn my mouth as I cough to be able to take a breath.

"Em, are you ok?" Hanna asked as she rubbed my back. I nodded slightly as I cough a few more times.

"How are you feeling now?" Hanna asked.

"Well…" I said still feeling the brunt from the coffee in my mouth. "… for starters I wish I had ordered an ice coffee." I said

"Here." A voice said as a plastic cup of water was held up in front of me, the cup had some condensation forming outside it and there was four ice cube floating around the surface.

I quickly accepted the drink and I instantly took a mouthful of the very cold water and I kept the water in my mouth, feeling at sting at first until the water had numbed the pain in my mouth.

"Thank you." I said and turned to see that the woman who had offered me the water was Paige, I remembered her from when I had seen her at the hospital parking lot, I was glad to see her again.

"You're welcome." Paige said smiling and I could help to look into her big brown eyes as I felt was brought back to the first time I saw her, I wanted to go back to that time and get another chance to make a first impression.

I was brought back to reality when Hanna cleared her throat. "Emily, care to introduce me to your friend?" She asked.

"Oh… right Hanna this is…" I said completely dumbfounded, it was like I was literally losing my ability to speak.

"I'm Paige McCullers" Paige said and reached out her hand to Hanna who gave it a squeeze.

"Please sit down." Hanna said and pushed out an empty chair from our table, it was her way to offer a Paige to sit down. Paige didn't protest and just sat down on the chair that just happened to be right next to me.

I thought I was going to die, I blushed as Hanna was basically about to humiliate me to death.

"So, Paige are you new in town?" Hanna asked.

"Hanna!" I hissed. "She just sat down, you don't have to interrogate her." I continued.

"It's ok I don't mind at all." Paige said then she turned to Hanna "I moved here almost a week ago, but I grew up here as a kid." Paige said.

"So what brings you back? Family? Friends? Boyfriend?" Hanna was really bombarding Paige with her questions, I just sat there worried she'd say something that would humiliate me so much I'd never leave my house.

"My parents, I've been away from them for a very long time." Paige said.

Hanna looked quickly to me and gave me a quick wink before she turned back to Paige

"So Paige, do you have…"

I knew exactly what Hanna was going to ask and I had to stop her, without thinking I kicked Hanna's shin from under the table to shut her up, I wasn't proud of it but I was desperate.

Hanna clearly understood the hint since she just stop talking in mid-sentence.

I looked over to Paige and she looked at Hanna wondering why she got so quiet all of a sudden.

"What were you going to ask me?" Paige said when Hanna tried to act like she wasn't about to ask Paige something personal. I knew Hanna might ask the same question so I gave her an aggressive look to let her know I wasn't going to let her ask that question.

"Sorry, I must have forgotten about it, I didn't get much sleep last night and when I' tired I black out and forgot what I'm talking about." Hanna lied.

"Oh, ok then." Paige said and I took a quick peek at her face to make sure she wasn't suspecting anything.

After a few seconds Paige went to refill her coffee and when she was out of earshot I felt a hard kick to my left chin.

"Fuck, Hanna!" I said, her kick had caught me off-guard and it really hurt.

"Now we're even." Hanna said referring to when I kicked her.

"That was to stop you from embarrassing me." I said.

"What do you mean, I only asked Paige a few questions?" Hanna asked, she seemed to be completely unaware over what kinds of questions she had asked.

"A few questions? You were practically doing gotcha journalism to her." I said.

"That was because I noticed how you looked at Paige, you're interested in her." Hanna said.

"God, Hanna! Not so loud." I said and looked around to make sure Paige hadn't heard that.

"You really are into her," Hanna said.

"Hanna I've only met her once before and that was just a short conversation." I said.

When Hanna heard that she flew up like a sun and she acted like she expected me to tell her that I had kissed Paige or to spill some other gossip.

"No Hanna, nothing happened." I said, now I was getting annoyed that Hanna wouldn't stop imagining me and Paige together.

"You really like her, come on admit it." Hanna teased.

"Hanna there is nothing to admit to." I lied.

"Fine, then I guess you won't mind me asking Paige if she is single when she comes back." Hanna said.

"No, that's personal information. How would you react if Paige would have asked the same question to you?" I said back to Hanna.

"I would have told her I was happily dating the guy of my dreams." Hanna said calmly. "Emily why are you so worried that I'll embarrass you?" Hanna asked.

"Just because." I hissed and I felt my patient was running out.

"Come on Emily, we're friends. You can tell me that you're really into Paige." Hanna said, this time in a supportive way.

"Fine Hanna you win, I'm interested in Paige." I blurted out. "Think she is very attractive, I even think she is hot." I said, now I didn't care anymore what Hanna heard me say I just wanted her to back off.

"You know, I wish I could pin Paige against this table, rip her shirt off and run my tongue along her collarbones." I said and Hanna smiled.

"I want to roll around naked with her in satin sheets." I continued, now mostly to make sure Hanna wouldn't have a reason to ask me about this later today. She seemed to enjoy what I said since she gave me an encouraging smile.

"I want to grab her by the hair and nibble down her back." I said and Hanna stood up and said. "Ok, Em. Just calm down now."

"No, I'm not done. I want to take her in every room in my house and make her scream my name." I said and then I noticed that Hanna looked like she had been caught with her hand in a cookie jar, she was pointing at something behind me and there Paige was standing and from the slightly shocked look on her face she had heard everything I had said.

Oh my god! I couldn't believe I had said that. In panic I ran into the bathroom and locked myself into one of the stalls. I had never felt more humiliated in my life, there was no way in hell I was going to leave this stall, I'm willing to stay in here until I die.

"Emily?" I heard Hanna's voice say.

"Go away." I said.

"Please just listen to me, I didn't mean for this to happen." Hanna said.

"It doesn't matter, I'm not leaving this stall." I said.

"You can't stay in here forever." Hanna said.

"I'm never getting out of this stall… EVER!" I answered.

After a while I let Hanna know that I wanted to be alone and she reluctantly agreed to my request. When I heard the door to the bathroom close I tore off a roll of toilet paper and started to wipe my tears.

 **Paige's Pov-**

What Emily had said really caught me by surprise, I didn't know what to say about it and it was obvious that I wasn't supposed to hear what Emily said since she ran into the bathroom as soon as she saw me.

When I saw Hanna walk out of the bathroom without Emily I decided to go and see for myself if Emily was ok.

I went into the bathroom and I noticed that there was just one stall that was locked and I could hear some light sobbing coming out from it.

I lightly knocked at the stall "Emily?"

I didn't get a response but I could hear the sobbing suddenly end, Emily was trying to cover her track and remain silent so I'd leave.

"I guess wasn't supposed to hear any of the things you said before." I said trying to make contact with Emily.

"If it helps I was a bit charmed that you were willing to do all those things to me." I said and I heard a light chuckle coming from the stall but it was quickly followed by more sobbing.

"I have no idea how you feel right now, but I want you to know that I'm not mad at you, I just got surprised." I said leaning against the stall door.

I could hear Emily lightly sob in there, she wasn't trying to hide that she was there because I already knew she was in there.

"I know you don't want to but I'm staying here, if you want to talk." I said and then I just stood there quiet as I gave Emily a moment to presses everything that just had happen.

We remained like that for a long time, both of us just stood where we stood, quiet and neither one of us was going to leave.

"Are you still there?" Emily asked after a while.

"Yes, I'm still here." I said hearing Emily's still sad but now less horrified voice.

"I'm sorry I blurted out… all those things." Emily said.

"That's ok, it's been ages since I've gotten a compliment like that." I joked and I could hear that Emily was vaguely laughing.

"I'm sorry." Emily mumbled.

"Hey, it's ok." I answered.

That was followed by a short moment of silence and then the lock clicked and I took a few steps back so Emily could open it and not have me standing right in front of her.

Emily got out and I could see that her mascara had smeared and her nose was slightly red.

"How do you feel?" I asked as I handed her some tissue paper. Emily smiled as she accepted them and started to wide away her smeared mascara.

"A little better." She answered. I could hear in her voice that she wasn't sad anymore.

Emily turned to the mirror making sure she got it all of her.

As I watched her get cleaned I knew I had to tell her something, it would probably hurt her but I couldn't lead her on.

"Emily there is something I have to tell you." I opened, damn it why is this so hard?

Emily turned to me and leaned back against the sinks.

"I don't want to hurt you but it's been ages since I've ever been with someone and I just got here so I don't think I'm ready to start dating." I said feeling sad that now Emily must feel sadder than when she locked herself in the bathroom.

"Oh, ok I understand." Emily said as her gaze sank to the floor.

"Hey, Emily it's not what you think…" I opened and Emily raised her hand cutting me off.

"No you just got here and I've almost thrown myself at you." Emily said.

"Look, you didn't…" I said but Emily held up her hand and said "Yes I did."

"You know, right now all I could really use is a friend." I said.

"Really?" Emily asked showing a slight smile on her face.

"Yes." I said.

"Then it's settled we're friends." Emily said.

"That makes me happy." I said glad that I was honest with Emily and she still wanted to hang out with me.

We walked out of the bathroom and Hanna stood by the table holding up a paper cup of coffee.

"I'm sorry." Hanna said holding up the cup to Emily.

"Have you waited with that coffee since I told you to leave me alone?" Emily asked.

"Actually I ordered a new cup every fifth minute to make sure it was warm." Hanna said and once Emily accepted the coffee I looked over to a trashcan and saw that it was overfilled with paper mugs.

"Hanna, this is Paige. My GBF." Emily said.

GBF seriously? Are we in high school?

"Hi, I'm Hanna Marin." She said and held out her hand and I gave it a firm squeeze. "Paige McCullers."

After that we all went out for a walk around the town, Emily showed me a lot of new places that I didn't know existed, I guess they must have opened either when I was in the army or when I was traveling.

Every time Emily mentioned something Hanna would give a very clear hint that Emily and I should hook up and when Hanna checked her phone Emily gave me an apologetic look.

After we had walked around a block a van pulled up in front of us and three persons walked out, they were all wearing red bandanas to cover their faces and they all wore leather vests with the words 'Nos Animadverto Totus' labeled on the back, this must be another gang.

"You're at the wrong side of town ladies." One gang member said and took a step towards us, he must have been the leader of that group.

"We were just leaving." Hanna said but the man shook his head at us.

"Sorry, we can't just have people walking into our turf then we'd seem weak." He said and walked back to the van grabbing a wooden baseball bat.

"Now there are two ways we could solve this, the first is that I beat you all to death and the other is that all of you drop to your knees and beg me to forgive you." He continued.

I took a quick look at our tormentors, there were three of them standing in front of us and there was a fought one still in the van.

We were outmatched, I knew I couldn't fight them without Hanna and Emily getting hurt.

"So, what's it going to be?" He asked and pointed to me with his bat. I slowly dropped to my knees until I was kneeling before him.

"That's good, now say you're sorry for trespassing on in N.A.T's territory." He said.

"I'm sorry for trespassing into your territory." I said.

"Louder!" He demanded.

"I am sorry for trespassing into your territory!" I said loudly.

"Good that's better. Now you." He said and pointed to Emily. "It's your turn."

Emily slowly dropped to her knees but just before she was kneeling just like I was doing something fell out of her pocket.

"Hey, what's that?" He said and pointed to the object that was on the ground. "Push it over." He ordered and Emily obeyed him.

"A stun gun." He said one it was in front of his feet. "Not only are you trespassing you're bringing weapons." He said walking up to Emily. "I can't let 'you' live now." He said and raised the bat but I quickly threw him a right hook so he fell down.

As the other two members ran up to me I grabbed the stun gun and pressed it against one gangster's throat. He fell to the ground and kept twitching even though he was now unconscious.

I turned to face the third gangster I was ready to fight him but then a heavy blow to my back made me fall down.

"You fucking bitch!" The leader of the group shouted and he kicked my side. I was in an indescribable amount of pain and I slowly curled up to protect my head and most of my vital organs.

"PAIGE!" I heard Emily scream. Then I felt another heavy blow to my back.

"Now, you'll die!" He yelled and the last thing I noticed before everything turned back was Hanna and Emily's terrified crying and then… BLAM!


	3. Chapter 3: Crime

**Chapter 3: Crime**

 **Paige's Pov-**

I could see a blinding bright light as I felt that I was laying on my back, my ears were ringing and I felt a sore pain almost everywhere.

I had no idea where I was and my blurry vision made it much harder to know what was going on.

I started to force myself up, I battled through the stinging pain that grew more for each second but I didn't care. I had no idea what was going on and I didn't like it. I Eventually managed to sit upright. I felt exhausted, more exhausted than I've ever been in my entire life.

I was about to force myself to get up when I suddenly saw a blurry figure, at first sight I thought it was a ghost.

The figure moved closer to me and I felt something pushing me down, I panicked and wanted to scream for help but I only let out a soft whimper. As I was laying again I felt a sharp sting in my arm. I tried to fight to stay awake but my eyelids felt too heavy as I fought a losing battle and my body went limp as everything started to fade until everything was dark.

 **Emily's Pov-**

"Is she going to be okay Doctor?" Paige's dad asked Dr. Shepard.

It had been a day since Paige saved me and Hanna from the N.A.T men who attacked us. I could still remember everything, every time I closed my eyes I was brought back to when the gang members they kicked Paige as she was down. I wanted to run up to her and help, but I was too scared. I just stood there crying as the coward I am as the N.A.T members kept kicking Paige who wasn't moving.

Hanna and I stood and watched in fear as suddenly a gunfire was heard, all gang members stopped attacking Paige and looked up to something behind Hanna and me, it was a police officer and he was holding his gun pointed to all of them.

"Leave my daughter alone you sons of bitches." He growled as the gangsters slowly backed away and got back into their van.

Their leader stayed by the passenger side and he had a smirk that discussed Paige's dad. "This isn't over." The group leader said as he got into the van that drove away.

Hanna and I were incredibly lucky that he was close or else the gangsters would have killed all three of us.

Right now I was sitting on a bench in the hospital's waiting room, waiting to hear anything about Paige, her father was still talking to Doctor Shepard.

Hanna was home with Caleb, the attack on Paige had her shocked up and she just wanted to be home with Caleb. I can't blame her for feeling like that, he made her feel safe and right now that was what she needed more than anything.

"Emily!" I heard my mom's concerned voice almost scream and before I knew it I could feel my mom hugging me tightly. As I looked up I saw my dad come running towards me.

Mom broke away and she gave me a very stern look. "Why didn't you tell us you almost got killed?" she asked as she had a look on her face that was a mix of concern and anger.

She was right, after seeing what happened to Paige I really never thought of telling my parents.

"I was going to I… I just didn't know…" I tried to make up an excuse but I couldn't figure out anything good enough to fool them and I could tell from the look my mom gave me that now she knew I was going to lie.

"Emily, the truth." My dad said.

I told them everything from when Hanna, Paige and I left the cafe to when the ambulance came and picked Paige up.

After hearing what had happened to me my mom and dad hugged me, this time much more gentle and then I noticed that Paige's dad was on his way back.

"What did the doctor say?" I asked Mr. McCullers.

He looked very relieved as he answered: "He said she was going to survive, but she needs to rest." Mr. McCullers didn't want to get into details since he was about as shocked over Paige as I was.

I was very happy to hear that Paige was going to survive, so much that I almost forgot that my parents were standing right behind me.

"Mom, dad. I think you know Nick McCullers, the man who chased off the gang members." I said as I presented him to my parents. Asides from him being my dad's former partner the only thing I really know about him was that he was Paige's dad since we barely said two words to each other during the entire time we had spent in the waiting room.

"Thank you… thank you so much for saving my girl." My mom said as she almost engulfed Mr. McCullers in a grateful hug.

"Really, thank you so much, Nick." My dad said after my mom had finally let go of Mr. McCullers.

My parents were grateful beyond words for what Mr McCullers did but they didn't stop trying to find words to express their gratitude.

Their almost poetic choice of words to praise him made him smile a little but I could tell that he was more concern about Paige to enjoy my parents practically making fools of themselves.

My dad turned to Mr. McCullers and started to tell him about something they had done when they were partners.

My mom leaned up at me and whispered "Let's let them talk by themselves, your dad always gets carried away when he tells his police stories, and now he'll finally have someone that listens to him."

She was right, whenever I couldn't sleep as a child my dad would tell me one of his stories and I'd eventually fall asleep since my dad was ridiculous with his details.

My mom and I watched as Paige's dad went to sit down still talking with my dad who followed him and they kept talking about what had happened with their lives after my dad retired.

"It looks like your father might rekindle with his old friend." My mom said as she looked over to them.

"He sure knows what to say to make something horrible feel not that bad anymore." I said feeling a slight sadness over Paige.

"Emmy, what's wrong?" My mom asked.

"It's nothing, I'm just worried about Paige… she's the only one who got injured." I said as I felt that I could hold it in anymore.

I felt my mom's warming embrace as I kept talking "I could have helped her but I didn't." I sobbed.

"Emily you were scared, so were Hanna and everyone who would see a crime up close, what happened to Paige is not your fault." My mom said as she was holding me.

Hearing that did help a bit, but what I really needed was to hear it from Paige, to hear her say that she's ok, that's what I needed right now.

"Come here Em, let's wait and see if the doctors have some news about Paige." My mom said and we went back to the waiting room where my dad and Paige's dad were still talking, they seemed to get along just fine.

We sat and waited for what felt like ages, all I could do was stare at the clock as my dad seemed for the first time ever to have run out of police stories to tell.

Eventually a doctor walked up to us and Mr. McCullers wasted little time walking up to the doctor and as about Paige.

The doctor just placed a hand on his shoulder and said seemed to say something to him, I couldn't tell what the doctor was saying since he was talking in a very quiet voice. Their conversation was very short but when the doctor patted his shoulder I started to fear the worse.

My mind panicked and I imagined every bad news the doctor could have given Paige's dad. Was she in a coma, did she wake up with amnesia, did the injuries get so bad her spine broke or worse of all was she dead?

"What did the doctor say?" I asked right away, this waiting was killing me.

Mr. McCullers looked at all of us and with a confused voice he said "He said I should go home." "He said I had been here so long I should just go home and wait for them to contact me." He continued.

"That's bullshit!" I blurted out, both my parents jumped in their seats since I hardly ever used words like that.

"You're right, it's fucking bullshit." Paige's dad said.

My parents were quick to intervene and convince Paige's dad that he should go home and talk to his wife, he even offered to drive him home.

If Mr. McCullers took what happened to Paige like this I don't think I want to know how his wife is taking it. Mr. McCullers caved in eventually and agreed to go home at least for now.

When my dad followed him out of the hospital I got up and checked around, there weren't many doctors around so maybe I could try to sneak into Paige's room to see for myself, I just needed to see her.

"Emily, if you want you can sleep at our place tonight… you know in case you don't want to be alone." My mom said.

"Ok, I'll meet you there I just need to use the bathroom." I lied.

"Ok, your father and I will set up the guest bed so it's ready when you get there." My mom said before she went after my dad.

I looked around and moved slowly to the front desk where I saw a clipboard with info about the patients. Once I had reached the clipboard I started to search for Paige's name, I knew I had to be fast in case a nurse would come and get it. Time wasn't on my side and I knew it as I stress read all names but I eventually found Paige's name. According to the clipboard she was in room 214 on the fourth floor.

Now when I knew where she was I grabbed a pen that visitors had to use to sign in and I wrote Paige's room number on my forearm so I wouldn't mix up the numbers. The ink smudged a little as I pressed the pen against my skin but I managed to write the room numbers clearly enough to read them.

I walked up to the elevator and waited for it, I knew I had to play it cool, really cool. As long as I acted like I was supposed to be there they wouldn't suspect anything.

As soon as I reached the fourth floor I got out and started to search for Paige's room. As I walked across the hall I took a glance at my arm to double check the room number.

"Two one four, two one four, two one four." I mumbled a few times so it was going to stuck.

I was lucky that I hadn't been spotted by any doctors but I knew my luck wasn't going to last forever, I was going to find Paige's room fast.

It didn't take long until I managed to find the room whose number matched the once I had written on my arm. I took a deep breath preparing myself for anything since I had no idea how bad the damage Paige had taken from the brutal attack by the N.A.T gang.

I slowly grabbed the door handle and slowly pushed it down.

 **Paige's Pov-**

I had just woken up again, my vision was still a little blurry but now I could notice my environment. I was in a hospital bed. I had no idea what was happening but when I heard a door opening I looked over to where I heard the sound coming from.

I could tell that a person had entered the room. I tried to figure out who it was but my vision was too blurry for me to get a good look at the person, I squint my eyes to get a better view of whoever had entered my room.

The first thing that I noticed was the person had long dark hair and a caramel-like skin color.

"Emily?" I asked.

The blurry figure just turned to me and then I heard a laugh, a sickly amused laugh. "Guess again."

My sight might not have recovered but my hearing was fine and I could tell right away whom I heard.

"Shana." I said, feeling an anger boil up inside me.

"Correct!" Shana's said very amusedly as she moved closer to me.

"This really is a shame, you fought against two guys and walked away without a scratch but three guys and you end up in the hospital. What happened? did you get cocky from the first fight?" She asked mockingly.

"Get out of here" I growled. I wanted to jump out of my bed and throw her out the door.

"Wow, looks like I struck a nerve, what's the matter McCullers, can't take a loss?" She asked.

Hearing her say that sent shivers up my spine, how the fuck did he know my name?

"What? I do my research, by the way, the picture on your driver's license is shit, you look like you're going to get sent to the slammer." She said.

I could tell what she was doing, she wanted to taunt me, to get in my mind. It was a smart trick too bad I wasn't going to let her.

I remained silent as she walked around my bed like a predator circling its prey.

"If you're waiting for someone to come and get you you're sadly mistaken, I sedated you and sneaked you out of your hospital bed, no one knows you're here." Shana continued.

"What do you want from me?" I asked.

"You know what I do, I recruit and I think I've struck gold." Shana said.

"Military background, traveled around the earth to learn different fighting styles. I got to say you're overqualified." She continued. "And being Detective McCullers daughter, oh man." Shauna started to laugh. "That's priceless, I thought it was a joke but this is even better, especially when the old geezer finds out his own daughter is taking over the city."

Shana really had big plans for me but I wasn't going to have any part in her plans.

"Find some other punk then, I'm not going to join your gang." I said and Shana moved up very close to me.

"You know, no one has ever refused me…" She said in a very seductive voice. She moved up closer and I felt her breath on my cheek as she leaned in and whispered "It turns me on."

This was sick, Shana was insane. She seemed to want me around for personal reason rather than recruiting me for 'The Black hoods'

"Just imagine it, you and me we will have Rosewood at our feet and then no one not even Mayor Khan can do anything to stop us." Shana continued.

"The answered is still 'No' I'll never join any gang." I said and Shana flinched away.

"What are you going to do then, be a good little girl scout and study to be a police officer?" Shana asked, her voice was a mix of disappointment and disrespect.

"The police won't do a damn thing, they are just chasing their own shadows and once they know what's happening it'll be too late." Shana said and laughed as she walked out of the door.

"Hey what do you mean too late!" I yelled after her.

"Shana! What do you mean!" I kept yelling as I dragged myself out of the bed to stop her but my legs hadn't fully recovered and I fell on the cold hard floor.

I crashed with a loud thud but I couldn't let Shana get away, forcing all my strength to my arms I dragged myself towards the same door Shana had left from, I had to know what she meant, I needed answers.

I crawled towards the door feeling myself getting exhausted for each second I crawled but I couldn't fall asleep, I just had to stay awake.

"Just… a short distance… left." I panted as I dragged my half-conscious body to the exit. "Almost… there" I could just reach the door, this wasn't a door with handles it was a door you push to open.

I pressed my right hand against the door and slowly dragged myself closer and closer with my other arm, slowly pushing the door open.

"Shaaaaaaa… Shaaaanaaaa." I whimpered as I felt myself passing out. I looked up and saw Shana's blurry figure as she laughed and said, then is nothing you can do other than to fear me…" Then the blurry figure turned all black before it broke into pieces.

I watched in fear as the pieces turned into bats, they were black as the darkest night and their eyes were glowing red as all of them launched themselves at me.

I screamed I panic and tried to wave them off but they were too many, I hit frantically with my arms trying to get them off me but it was in vain, before I knew It everything turned black.

Later:

"How could she just happened to be in the morgue?" A voice echoed. It sounded familiar but in a way distant.

A few other voices echoed as I wasn't sure if I was dreaming or if I was on a morphine trip.

"Nick, don't scream…" More voices echoed. Where was I?

I still felt tired but this felt different from when I was talking to Shana, or was that just a dream?

This was it, I forced my eyes to open and the first thing I felt was the bright sting from daylight the almost painfully burnt my eyes.

"PAIGE!" I heard a scream and once my eyes had finally adjusted I could see my parents standing there.

"Mom? Dad?" I asked confused.

Both just looked at me in silence for what felt like hours.

"Oh sweety." My mom whimpered and very gently wrapped her arms around me.

"What happened?" I asked.

"We thought we had lost you." Mom sobbed as she tightened her grip on me.

"That girl… Emily, she tried to sneak into your room to see you but when you weren't there she told us right away and then we searched through the entire hospital for you." My dad said his voice went from relieved that I was alive to sad as he seemed to relive something very painful.

"Then… then Emily found you… when she told us she had found you in the morgue we thought the worse had happened." He continued, now a tear was rolling down his cheek that he wiped away with his thumb.

My mom had tightened her grip on me for almost every word my dad said.

"How is she now, Doctor? Is she well enough to leave this place?" My dad asked the doctor that I hadn't noticed was in the room.

My mom let very reluctantly broke her hug as The Doctor walked up to me and shined a flashing at my eyes to check my pupils and then he checked his clipboard and asked me to stand up and walk a little, with I did without any difficulty.

"She seems fine enough but I still think she should stay one more night to recover." The doctor said.

My dad instantly got offended hearing those words, he walked up to the doctor and almost looked like he was about to give him a right hook. "So you can lose her again, I don't think so. My daughter is leaving this place now." He said really intimidating the doctor who took a step back and tried to keep his poker face but both my dad and I knew he was scared.

The doctor cleared his throat and said that I could go home when he had filled in all the paperwork. Then he left.

"For how long was I out?" I asked.

"We don't know, Emily found you late last night." My mom said and when I looked over at the time and saw that it was almost noon I almost lost my balance as I realized that I had been unconscious for much longer than I thought.

"Paige, do you remember anything at all after… after you were attacked?" my dad asked, instantly getting a frustrated look from my mom.

I thought about telling him about Shana, how she drugged me, sneaked me out of my room and tried to get me to join 'The Black hoods' but I changed my mind since I wasn't sure if that really happened or if I had dreamt the whole thing.

"No, I can't remember anything." I said.

I couldn't get my dad worried about something that my mind could have created and if it had happened for real I knew I'd find out soon enough.

My dad nodded, he was about to ask me another question but my mom cut in and told him to let it go.

My mom had brought some clothes for me and she and my dad said they would talk to the doctor to see if they could speed up the paperwork while I got dressed.

As soon as they left I opened the bag and took out a plain gray t-shirt.

I wasted little time taking off the hospital gown I was wearing and put the fresh t-shirt on as I was going to reach for a pair of jeans I felt someone almost tackling me to the floor.

"You're ok." A familiar overjoyed voice said as the person hugged me tightly.

"It feels good to see you too Sydney." I answered as I tried to turn around and see her. I could tell that she was very happy to see me.

She looked up at me and smiled.

"So, how many naked guys have you painted now?" I joked to lighten up the mood.

"About a hundred." She joked back and laughed as I put my pants on.

"Are you coming back now or can I throw a third rave party?" She joked again and I laughed as I put my shoes on.

"I'm leaving this place any minute now." I said ready to go home to my apartment.

I couldn't wait to leave the hospital behind me.

 **Emily's Pov-**

"Emily, you're not listening!" Spencer yelled as she slammed her hand on the table.

"No I wasn't." I lied, I had thought of Paige, I was worried about her, and it was killing me that I couldn't be with her right now.

I was at 'The Brew' with Hanna and my other friends Aria and Spencer.

"Hey! Back off Spencer!" Hanna yelled. "We almost got mugged a few days ago so I'm sorry if Emily isn't Hastings focused." She continued.

Usually no one would argue against Spencer but Hanna still remembered what I had said about Paige and now she pretty much thought she could turn this around into a love story.

"Ok, it's just I need to know if you will come to the Rosewood ball, it's a huge deal and since Mayor Khan will be there you know he'll announce something big." Spencer said.

She was right, at this time each year Rosewood's Mayor would throw a highly social ball where a lot of high-class persons would come like police officers, firemen, doctors, senators and people with pockets full of money, something Mayor Khan would take advantage of.

Spencer's mom was running for mayor so Spencer had asked up to join her so she could network and see if she could win over some voters. The persons that would come was a make or break deal so Spencer was very focused to get everything right.

"I know but you got three months left until the ball so you'll have plenty of time to make your 'master plan' and score a win for you mom." Aria said calming Spencer down.

"Exactly that's why I need to focus and find out who is coming." Spencer said.

"Well, my dad will be there, he'll never pass up an opportunity to get some free food." I said trying to focus on helping Spencer.

"I already know that, and he might have been a good cop but I don't think he is much for inspiring people now when he is retired." Spencer said.

"What about Detective Mick McCullers?" Hanna blurted out.

I almost choked on my water (right now that was the only thing I could drink) I couldn't believe Hanna just had said that.

Spencer looked over to Hanna in a very interested mood. "Are you serious Han?" she asked sounding very hopeful.

Before Hanna answered I kicked her under the table. I was mad that she just assumed that Paige's dad was going to just show up despite what happened to Paige.

Hanna looked at me and was about to complain when I quickly gave her the same stern look that Spencer would give her in high school when Hanna would say something very interoperative.

"I have to go to the bathroom." Hanna excused herself and I quickly volunteered to go with her.

Once we were by the sinks I shoved Hanna and asked "What was that?"

"I panicked ok. Spencer needed big names and Detective Mick McCullers should probably be of some interest to her." Hanna said.

"First of all, his name is Nick not Mick second of all have you completely forgotten that he saw the N.A.T gang attack Paige a few days ago? He can't just bounce back from that." I said.

Hanna seemed to realize what she had done. "I'm sorry Em, I wasn't thinking." She said.

"I know but please don't bring Paige into this now, just don't." I said as I was reminded that I was just standing where Paige and I had shared a conversation after I had declared some fantasy I had about Paige.

I could almost hear Paige's voice as I thought about what she had said to me, how kind she was and how she didn't make me feel worse than I already did that day.

I felt some tears roll down my cheek as I put one of my hands on the faucet for balance.

"Here." Hanna said and held out a paper towel for me that I used to wipe my tears on, then she grabbed her purse and took out an eyeliner that she handed me.

"What is this for?" I asked and Hanna nodded towards the mirror, when I looked at my reflection I saw that my mascara had smudged so anyone could see that I had cried.

"In case you don't want to talk about it for Aria and Spencer." Hanna said.

This felt strange, all four of us had been best friends since high school and now I was keeping secrets from two of my best friends.

"No, I think I'll tell them." I answered.

"About Paige?" Hanna asked and I nodded as Hanna placed the eyeliner on the faucet.

"Aria and Spencer maybe get to know but you don't have to show everyone that you've cried." Hanna said.

She was right, I didn't use that much mascara but it was enough to see the dark brushstrokes of my mascara mixed with my tears.

Hanna grabbed another paper towel and ripped off a piece that she soaked in warm water from the faucet and I did the same with another piece of paper.

After a few minutes all traced that I had cried were hidden and Hanna and I walked back to Spencer and Aria who were waiting for us.

I wasn't trying to hide that I was concerned anymore as I sat down and instantly caught Aria's attention.

"Em, is something wrong?" She asked as I sat down.

"Yes, there is something I should tell you." I answered and then I told them about Paige, the first time we met, when she met me and Hanna here, about when she defended us from the attack.

Once I had told them everything Spencer and Aria were both speechless, they both looked at me with a sincere concern that might have been more directed towards me than Paige.

"Emily spent most of the day sleeping on the couch in the waiting room." Hanna said to break the silence.

"Why didn't you tell us about it earlier?" Aria asked.

"I was worried about Paige. Hanna and I were lucky enough to walk away from there but she wasn't." I answered feeling like there was a lump in my throat as I remembered Paige getting pushed down by the hands of the N.A.T's.

"I just want to know that she is going to be ok." I continued.

My head dropped as I felt Aria's embracing hug and then I felt Spencer and Hanna joining in.

"Thank you guys." I said feeling a bit better knowing that my friends are standing by me.

"For how long are the hospitals visit hours?" Spencer asked.

"They are over in 45 minutes." I answered.

"Well, then there is plenty of time to see if you can see Paige." Spencer said.

She was right, the hospital was within 10 minutes of walking distance from here.

I looked up to Spencer who nodded to let me know she was fine with me leaving.

I got up and mouthed a quick "Thank you." Before I ran out the door, almost pulling down a coat hanger when I grabbed my jacket.

I hurried down the street as fast as I could, I knew I could walk and still have plenty of time, but I just had to see Paige right now, even though my jeans were too tight to be running in I didn't care about it. The only thing on my mind was to see Paige.

When I cut around a corner I crashed into someone and fell on my ass on the hard sidewalk. "Ooow! Watch it you idiot!" I said in anger as I slowly got up, gently rubbing my sore but with one hand.

When I caught a glimpse of the person I had run into I couldn't believe my eyes.

"PAIGE!" I shouted in a combination of joy and disbelief.

The second I looked into Paige's big brown eyes I felt right away that this was real, it wasn't a dream or a fantasy that my mind had made up, this was real and it happened right now.

"YOU'RE ALIVE!" I cried out and I practically threw myself into her arms as I couldn't control myself anymore.

I held onto Paige as hard as I could, I never wanted to let her go, I just her her tight as I could feel her scent, it was a mix of sweet vanilla and hazel with a small hint of something else that I couldn't describe.

As I slowly pulled myself back to reality I noticed that Paige wasn't hugging me back. I felt very embarrassed as I let go of her and took an uncomfortable step back.

Paige looked at me and she seemed speechless from my sudden act of happiness.

I felt really dumb at this point, my god why do I keep embarrass myself around Paige?

Eventually I managed to force myself to talk. "I'm sorry Paige." I said and looked down trying to avoid seeing into her eyes.

"I'm glad to see you too Emily." Paige said and I could hear that she wasn't very weirded out from what I just had done.

"I didn't mean to jump you like that I just got so happy to see you." I said in a lame attempt to excuse myself.

"It's ok, you just caught me off guard." Paige said and I could finally look back at her.

I could see her bright smile as the sun was shining behind her almost giving her an angel like glow.

"I was so worried you'd never wake up." I said.

And Paige looked at me and said "I kind of surprised everyone when I woke up earlier today."

Wait did I hear that right, Paige had woke up today?

"I wish I knew that, I could have given you a ride home." I said as I looked at Paige like I was looking at a biblical sign from God.

"Everything happened so fast I couldn't keep up myself." Paige said and I took a step closer to her, I wasn't going to let this second chance pass me by.

"You know, my dad throws this awesome barbecue next week would you like to come as my…"

"Paige, stop running away from me!" An irritated voice yelled as a short girl with dark hair and bright skin walked up to Paige.

"Oh, you two know each other?" I asked dumbfounded.

"Emily, this is Sydney Driscoll." Paige said and Sydney walked up and we shook hands.

I tried to play my best poker face to hide the sudden misery I felt in my heart.

"Paige can I get the key? I need to go to our place and finish my painting." Sydney asked.

How could I have been so stupid, Paige already had a girlfriend and they were living together. I fought hard to not start crying as I saw Paige handing Sydney her keys.

With the keys in her possession Sydney left.

"So what about this barbecue?" Paige asked.

This was bad, clearly Paige was still interested in coming.

"It's this Saturday around five in the afternoon, I thought you could meet a few new faces and get some friends." I said.

"Can I bring Sydney?" Paige asked and I just nodded as a response.

Paige was about to say something else so I quickly grabbed my phone and pretend that I got a text. I had to make up a quick excuse to get away from Paige, every second I stayed with her caused that much pain in my heart.

"I'm sorry but my mom needs me, family stuff." I lied as I pretended to read the screen on my phone that wasn't even on.

"Oh, ok I guess I'll see you around then." Paige said and I just mumbled a soft "Yes, I must hurry now."

I felt that I was only seconds away from breaking down in tears.

I quickly ran away from Paige before she would say something else. I quickly dashed into an alley and squatted down behind a dumpster where I crawled up to cry.

Why? Why did I do all of that, I feel like I'm the world's biggest idiot. I pulled my legs as close to my chin as I could and curled up into a small ball as I felt nothing else than sadness.

 **Paige's Pov-**

Emily was acting a bit strange before she left, part of me wondered if I should have gone with her but she did say it was family stuff so maybe she wanted it to stay in the family.

I figured I should just go home and get some rest at my apartment, my parents had offered a small celebration at their place but right now I just wanted to go home and get a shower.

Once I got back to my apartment I sent Emily a text where I asked her if everything was alright, I waited a few minutes for her to answer but there was no response. I guess she was too busy.

I grabbed a change of clothes and walked to the bathroom where I undressed from the clothes I had worn at the hospital and turned on the shower. I took one last look at my phone to see if Emily had responded to my text but there was nothing from her, I just placed my phone on top of the bathroom cabinet and I stepped into the shower.

The warm shower felt refreshing, like a cleansing ritual. As the warm water rained over me I was very grateful for it. When I was in the army there were a few outposts that only had cold water and there was not much space for movement in the small shower stalls they had. I reached out my hands as much as I could and pressed the palm of my left hand on the tile wall and my right hand on the shower's glass wall.

You never really enjoy the smaller things until you've realized that there could be worse options.

As soon as I got out of the shower my phone was ringing, without even grabbing a towel I reached for my phone and saw that there was an unknown number calling.

"Hello?" I said as I answered my phone.

"Hi there." I felt my blood starting to boil as I heard Shana's voice on the other end.

"How the fuck did you get my number?" I yelled on the phone.

"I looked it up, it's amazing how much you can find about a person just from their first and last name.

"What do you want?" I asked trying to keep calm, I wasn't going to let her get to me this time.

"I just thought you'd like to know I just got a new phone, the guy I robbed begged me to take it." Shana bragged.

"So now you're going to brag?" I asked as I reached for one of my navy blue towels and attempted to wrap it around my body with one hand.

"No I just wanted to talk with my newest recruit." Shana said, sounding overconfident.

"The answer is still no." I said, I was never going to sink so low I'd turn to a life of crime.

"Why are you so stubborn, we are more like each other than you think." Shana said.

"I am nothing like you." I said.

"Really, I have killed and so have you, remember the army when you slaughtered those kids trying to defend their home?" Shana asked.

Those words hurt like daggers, I had not forgotten that day and I lived with what I did every day, but there were days I wished I could go back and do everything differently.

"I see I got your attention." Shana said in a smug voice.

"You are no saint, you're just a killer." She continued.

"How do you know about that?" I asked.

"I got my connections." Shana said.

"How long have you spied on me?" I asked.

"Since the first time I saw you." She said.

"So what are you planning? Are you going to blackmail me into joining you?" I asked.

"No, I know you there is something inside you that you are denying. It's a will to fight that makes you willing to do whatever it takes to survive no matter what." Shana said, her words sent chills up my spine.

"I saw you fight my two men and if you weren't holding back you could have slit their throats and if you had brought the butterfly knife when you were fighting the N.A.T members they would have been the once in the morgue instead of you." Shan said.

"You don't know me. I'm not a sick monster who kills for pleasure." I growled at Shana.

"You can't fool me girl, right now you are thinking about killing me, you see you are exactly what you are denying that you are." The more Shana talked the more I started to imagine some disturbing images of me performing heinous acts like robbing, mutilating and killing innocent people.

"This town is corrupt, it can't be saved, it doesn't deserve to be saved. It only deserves anarchy and corruption." Shana said.

I had to sit down as I heard her say that, she wasn't entirely wrong, Rosewood was nowhere near the town it once was. It was tainted with crime and corruption. The police didn't do much to stop the crime and people didn't feel safe in their own homes.

Then I thought of Emily, she was unlike anyone I had met here, she was kindhearted and completely selfless, thinking of her reminded me why I attacked the gang members, I wanted to keep Emily safe and in that I had a reason to keep fighting.

"You are wrong Shana, Rosewood can still be saved." I said standing up again.

"Aren't you a sucker for a lost cause? If you think this shithole of a town is worth preserving you must have taken one too many hits to the head." Shana said.

"No, my mind is more clear than ever. Rosewood is my home and I will not let it fall." I said.

"Fine, be stubborn then, that'll make it much more fun when I finally get you by my side." Shana said.

"Oh and one more thing, you look really good naked." Shana said before she hung up on me.

I looked over to notice that my bathroom window was still closed but that didn't mean Shana wasn't spying on me.

I got dressed so fast I forgot to dry my hair, I just tied it into a messy bun then I grabbed my computer and started to search the news I could tell that 'The Black Hoods' were the biggest gang here and they had a strong grip on the town, but that didn't mean they were in charge of it.

I closed my laptop and started cooking dinner for Sydney and me, a few hours later Sydney went to bed and I could prove that I was better than the gangs.

I went to my closet and grabbed a baggy wool cap that I pulled down over my face to make sure it could reach all the way down to my neck.

I had to stretch the fabric a bit but it got long enough, the next thing I did was to cut out a pair of holes for my eyes before I pulled it back on to make sure I got the holes right, then I grabbed a dark hoodie and a pair of camo pants that I had kept when I was discharged from the army.

With the wool cap hidden in the pocket I made sure to be as quiet as I could as I put on a pair of boots and then I sneaked out of the apartment.

As I walked the dark and unsafe streets of Rosewood I stayed close to the shadows to make sure no one would see me. I had no idea how many gang members were in the neighborhood so I made sure that I would have the element of surprise on my side in case I would end up in a fight.

Eventually I got to the park where I used to go when I was a kid, I guess it was a habit I had picked up.

Whenever I got the chance I would sneak to the park as a kid, it never mattered if it was day or night I loved being there and I had never been afraid of the dark.

When I was about to leave I heard voices of two people talking, knowing thin town it must be a gang member

The voices came closer and I quickly hid behind a nearby stone wall.

When I peeked around the corner I saw two persons, one of them was a member of 'The Black Hoods' and the other was Noel Khan.

"Ok we did your job, now where is the money?" The gang member asked.

And Noel opened his briefcase and said "Here you go, fifty thousand dollars as promised."

The gang member grabbed the briefcase and said "The Black Hood is very pleased."

Noel smiled and said "Feel free to count them they are all there."

As I listened I wished I had brought something to record this, proof that the mayor's son is working with the gangs must be enough to get attention from the police, maybe even enough to make sure Mayor Khan get relieved of his duties.

Noel suddenly turned his head my way and I quickly hid hoping he didn't saw me.

"My father hopes to get your vote during the election." Noel said and then he left as the gang member kept counting the money.

This wasn't going so well, I had to get answers and I had to get them fast before the gang member's buddies would come.

I moved slowly out from my cover and moved closer and closer to him. As I was just a few steps away from him a dry twig snapped under my foot. The gangster quickly turned around and saw me, he could right away tell that I wasn't one of his and he threw a right hook at me the I quickly dodged.

He once again ran towards me and threw a right hook but I dodged it and quickly kicked him in his side making him take a step back and place his hand where I had kicked him.

He growled in anger as he favored his injured ribs.

"Think you can steal the Black Hood's money, punk!" He yelled to me and reached behind his back. I quickly grabbed the briefcase and threw it was him as he pulled out a gun and fired it at me.

He missed me but I didn't miss him, the briefcase slammed into his forehead and bounced off him. Holding one hand over his face he started to fire his gun wildly around, luckily he couldn't see me and once he was out of bullets I ran up and tackled him down.

I climbed up on his chest and threw several quick punches to his forearm and one he had moved away his hand from his face I knew I had him now, I didn't stop pushing him, his forehead was already bleeding from where the briefcase had hit him and I kept hitting that target to defeat my opponent.

I threw one heavy punch after another making sure he wouldn't be able to throw me off him.

With every punch I threw the cut on his forehead grew bigger and blood was pouring down all over his face from each time I hit him.

Once he almost was unconscious I knew the fight was out of him.

"What was the deal you made with Noel Khan?" I asked loud since the mask muffled my voice.

"I'm not… I'm not telling you shit." The gangster said as he struggled to breath.¨

I answered by slamming my fist hard onto his nose, blinded from his one blood he never expected what I did he screamed in pain holding his hands over his now broken nose.

"Talk!" I demanded.

"Ok… ok! He supplies us, keeping our pockets full and in return we make sure Mayor Khan remains unopposed." The gang member said.

That would explain why he can stay mayor, the gangs attacks the other candidates and Mayor Khan uses that fear the get votes, but I felt like there was something I was missing. What would the mayor get out of this, surely he can't plan on remaining mayor forever.

"How long has this been going on?" I asked.¨

"Years, the promised to keep our pockets full if he became mayor and we serve him in secret." The terrified gangster said.

I knew I couldn't know much but I had to leave him, during the fight he had fired his gun and it was only a matter of time before his friends would come to investigate it.

I grabbed him and pulled him close to me. "Make sure all of you get this message." I said.

"What mess…" The gangster didn't finish his sentence before I threw one final punch that knocked him out. He fell unconscious to the ground and I left before his friends show up.

On the way home I took a detour to make sure I wouldn't bump into any more Black hoods and when I was back at my apartment I knew this was far from over and if I was going to take down 'The Black Hood' the N.A.T and now Mayor Khan as well I was going to have to get better than I already was, much better.


	4. Chapter 4: Strength

**Chapter 4: Strength**

 **A/N: There is no exuse to why I'm this late with this update, I've had my worse wirters block ever. I really wish I could say it's gone now but I don't think I can make that promice. In the months as I tried to figure out what to write for this chapter I got disstracted with ideas for new stories (one was Star Wars inspired, one was a mix of the movie Jurassic Park: The lost world and the King knog videogame and anouther one was a story where Emily is a neard and creates a new secret persona on a costume party and loses controll and the last one was basically a Paily version of the movie 12 feet deep.) I don't know why but when I get Wirters block I just get ideas for the first chapter of new stories and then I just end up getting stuck on those stories.**

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 **Emily's Pov-**

"I am such an idiot!" I yelled in anger and sorrow as I slammed my can of beer on my table. I just couldn't believe my luck, I had invited Paige to a barbecue and she already had a girlfriend. It felt like my heart was shattering repeatedly as I punished myself for my idiocy.

Hanna, Spencer and Aria were all with me, after I had seen Paige and her girlfriend I eventually made it home and when Hama called to ask how it went I couldn't keep quiet about my dumbest move ever.

The girls had hurried over to my place right after Hanna had called me.

"Em, are you absolutely sure that girl was Paige's girlfriend?" Hanna asked, there was a hint of fear and worry in her voice.

"Yes, I'm sure! Oh, and guess what they live together!" I blurted out as I felt that my heartbreak mixed with the alcohol from my beer was starting to make me hysterical.

"Come on Em, Paige was willing to die for you when those thugs…"

"And me." Hanna said interrupting what Spencer was saying.

"I was also getting saved by Paige." Hanna said as she got a very stern glare from Spencer who then turned her attention back to me.

"Paige risked her life to protect you and Hanna, she must have felt something for you." Spencer said.

"Do you really think so?" I asked as I grabbed my beer can, to my disappointment it was empty.

"I am very sure about it, I mean why would she otherwise fight off the attacker? It's not like she is secretly a vigilante?" Spencer asked.

I let out a ridiculously loud laughing noise when I heard Spencer saying that.

"Em, maybe you should take it a bit easy…" Aria said.

"What I've only had one beer." I said as I walked to my refrigerator on wobbly legs to get something stronger than beer.

With every step I took it got harder to keep my balance and when I was just a few steps away from the refrigerator I felt something hit the bottom of my left foot and I lost my balance. I lost my footage and landed hard on my butt.

"Fuck! That hurt" I yelled as Spencer and Hanna walked over to lift me up.

"That's it, I'm cutting you off." Spencer said as she and Hanna got me up.

As they pushed me towards my bedroom I let out a whining "Whyyyyyyyy?"

"For starters, you just tripped on the edge of a carpet." Aria said as she opened my bedroom door.

"You really shouldn't drink, you can't handle your alcohol." One of the girls said but at this point I couldn't tell which one was which.

I was lead into my bedroom and my friends got me into bed and once everything went dark I couldn't tell if the lights were out or if my eyes were shut.

I just let my head fell onto my pillow and felt a comforting pat on my back as I dozed off.

 **Paige's Pov-**

I hadn't gotten much sleep last night, I kept thinking about the fight I had, I remembered how lucky I got this time since I had the advantage and it was just one guy, but if I would get surrounded by several thugs again I'd need to take a few punches and for that I'd need protection.

I knew that I couldn't just walk into a gun store and buy a bulletproof vest since that would raise suspicions, not to mention all the paperwork I'd have to fill.

I opened my laptop and started to check different sports sites instead, I decided to narrow down my search to ice hockey gear since it seemed to be strong enough to take a few hits.

I looked at what a goalie would wear and the pads looked like they could resist hard hits but the leg pads would prevent my movements. I kept searching for torso protection knowing that the next time I'd end up in a fight the thugs are most likely to target my chest.

I kept browsing trying to find what gear that would give me an edge in a fight.

As I scrolled the random sites I heard the creaky sound of an opening door. Without thinking I slammed the laptop shut as Sydney got out of her room. She looked over to me as I was sitting in front of my closed laptop.

"Morning." She said as she walked up to the table and her eyes got stuck on my glass of orange juice.

"Hi." I answered her and tried to very discreetly push the laptop further away from the table, out of her line of sight.

"Is that orange or pineapple?" She asked and pointed to my glass.

"It's orange, do you want some?" I asked.

Just as soon as I answered Sydney she snatched my glass and took a sip from it. "It's good." She said and sat down at the other end of the table still holding my glass in her hand and kept drinking.

"You could just have gotten your own glass." Was all I could say as she placed the now empty glass on the table.

"It's ok I don't mind." Was all she said and then she pulled out her cellphone from the pocket of her sweatpants.

"Got a hot date?" I asked her and she scrolled through her phone and said, "Just checking my schedule, not sure when Matt was going to come over." She answered.

I remembered Matt from last time I saw him. He was Sydney's art project and I could clearly remember him being very comfortable with his body.

I must have made some sort of uncomfortable face since Sydney suddenly asked "You're not freaked out because of my art?" She asked very defensively

"Just give me a heads-up so I'll know what to expect." I answered and Sydney instantly calmed down.

We both sat down quite after that until I remembered that Emily had invited me and Sydney to her family's baroque.

"You got any plans for next week?" I asked Sydney as she kept checking the calendar app on her phone.

"I got us invited to a barbecue." I answered.

Sydney gazed her eyes away from her phone. "How did you manage to do that, I mean the only time you were outdoors was when we went home from the hospital?" Sydney asked sounding very surprised getting this info.

"Emily invited us." I answered just to be answered by Sydney's confused look.

"The girl I was talking to when we went home yesterday." I explained.

Sydney was now really trying to think back to remember whom I was talking about. I wasn't surprised it took her some time to remember since she wasn't interacting with Emily when I met her.

"Was she that sexy lady?" Sydney eventually asked.

"I'll point her out when we're at the barbecue." I said, partly because I wasn't sure if Sydney was thinking of Emily but mostly because I knew she'd tease me if I'd say that it was her.

Once Sydney heard my answer she sank down a bit in her seat which proved to me that I was right.

"Ok, sounds like a plan." Sydney said and she got up and walked up next to me.

"Sooooooooooo?" She asked, using a very long emphasis.

"What were you up to before I interrupted you?" She asked as she nodded towards my laptop.

"Nothing!" I quickly answered, which right away proved to be a mistake since now Sydney got more curious. "Baseball score nothing or porn nothing?" She asked in a suspicious voice.

"It's nothing really you don't have to… HEY!" I noticed too late that Sydney has snatched my laptop and she was about to open it.

"Sydney… put the computer down." I said in this almost hostage-like situation.

"What? I'm not going to judge you by your browser history." Sydney said standing in a position to get ready to run and even though I was fast enough to eventually catch up with her She'd just ran into the bathroom and lock the door.

"Besides, I'm open with you about almost everything." She continued.

"Yeah, but this isn't what you're open with me about." I answered.

"Good point." Sydney said and I slowly took a step towards her.

"Let's see what gets you on." She said and opened the laptop just to be surprised to see a site with sports equipment.

"I was not expecting that." She said as she handed me my laptop.

"I'm thinking about playing some ice hockey for fun." I lied. I haven't decided yet but it helps to know about the quality of the gear so I won't get hurt." I continued.

"Well, just make sure to use protection." Sydney said.

After that she went to her room to arrange her painting equipment and started to set up a background for her next art project and I went back to the site and ordered a package called 'Ice hockey protective package for rookies' figured if I bought a full package I could pick out what I could use to get the best protection without limiting my mobility for the next time I'd have to fight.

 **Emily's Pov-**

"Oh God…" I groaned as I woke up with a horrible hangover. I was never much of a drinker so the few times I'd get a hangover I felt like throwing out all alcohol and swear to never drink again.

I had an aggressive headache, my eyes felt sore and I felt like I was going to throw up, but there was one good about this hangover, it made me think of something else than Paige, until I got that cold hard slap of reality.

I couldn't believe myself, how could I both fall for Paige and let her break my heart without even finding out that much about her?

She was a stranger to me, but I felt that I wanted more. How could I have been such an idiot?

After a while I forced myself to get up, I groaned as I held a tight grip on the bed frame as my wobbly legs tried to find the strength to stand upright.

I really hated that my bedroom was upstairs, getting out of the bed was hard enough so getting downstairs would be impossible.

With the option to stay in bed getting more tempting by the second I tried to make my way downstairs.

As once I was halfway down the stairs my stomach growled aggressively, I more than enough starving to make it the rest of the way down and enter the kitchen.

At this point I was willing to eat stale bread and expired milk just to still my hunger.

A second growl echoed from my empty stomach as I opened the cabinets searching for any kind of food.

"Emily?" I heard Aria's voice as I was searching among the many condiments and spices.

"Are you alright?" Aria asked.

"Food, need food." I responded with a slightly parched voice.

"Ok, I'll cook you something." Aria said in a faint voice, I guess I slightly scared Spencer, but then again, I was acting more like a savage than myself at this point.

I went over to the refrigerator finding a very present surprise in the form of an orange juice packaging.

I opened it right away and started to chug the juice, feeling my throat recovering from each passing second.

"Emily, you're just like my brother." Aria said in a discussed once I had stopped drinking and put the now almost empty juice packaging back in the fridge.

Just as I sat down Hanna and Spencer walked into the kitchen.

"Good, you're awake." Hanna said, instantly getting an annoyed glare from Spencer.

"I mean… how do you feel?" Hanna quickly changed her reaction to seeing me.

"I didn't expect you guys to stay the night." Was the only thing I could bring myself to say as Spencer walked up next to Aria and helped her cooking breakfast and Hanna went over to the coffee maker.

"You needed us so we stayed for you." Spencer said.

I couldn't help but smile when Spencer said that, it was in moments like these I knew I was blessed with good friends.

"And you did even eat while you waited?" I asked.

"Well we were but Spence…" Hanna said getting a stern look from Spencer.

"It just wasn't right to eat your stuff while you were asleep." Aria said.

"Thank you, but really I wouldn't have minded at all." I said.

Hanna let out an annoyed groaned and turned to Spencer. "I told you she'd be fine with it."

Her comment was quickly answered with a quick slap to the back of her head.

"Um… I mean waiting just felt like the right thing to do." Hanna said as she rubbed the back of her head.

I couldn't help but let out a brief smile as I remembered how much we had changed since high school and how a few things still had remained the same.

 **Paige's Pov-**

"Hey Paige look!" Sydney almost screamed as she pointed to the Tv.

It was a news report where a poor store owner had been the latest victim of one of the street gangs.

I may have been some distance away from the Tv but I could tell just how bad the damage was,

windows were shattered, outdoor furniture's had been smashed and the wall was covered with ugly markings from spray cans.

I moved up closer to the Tv and sat down on the couch and Sydney grabbed the remote, turning up the volume.

The reporter was standing in front of the store, she was fairly young and had brown hair that was tied up in a bun, she was wearing a gray blazer and she was very calm for being right at a crime scene, or maybe she was just good at hiding how she really felt.

"We, still don't know who is responsible for vandalizing Mr. West's deli but police are still trying to find clues to narrow down the possible suspects." The reporter said as she moved up much closer to the crime scene heading to one of the police officers.

She nudged him and without waiting for him to turn around she asked "How bad would you say this is?"

As the police officer turned to face the camera I could tell that it was my dad.

"As of right now all we can tell this could have been the acts of some drunken teens." My dad answered putting on his best calm face.

He was maybe fooling the rest of Rosewood but growing up with him I could tell that he was concerned, maybe even nervous or worried.

The reporter kept her eye contact with my dad, not letting him go yet.

"Is there anything you've found to help narrow the search down?" She asked.

"Nothing yet but if this investigation can continue I'll make sure to get whoever did this." My dad answered as two other officers walked up to the reporter to let her know that she was too close, she quickly looked into the camera and said "And that's all I can show for now, but stay tuned for more updates and all your news, I'm Claire Tolchuck and you're watching Channel six news." The Tv show returned back to the studio but I had already seen enough. I got up and put on my shoes.

"Where are you going?" Sydney asked.

"Downtown, I'm going to see my Dad." I answered as I opened the door and sprinted out.

I hurried to the crime scene as fast as I could and I made it just as I saw my dad was just leaving the perimeter.

"Dad!" I yelled to get his attention and it worked, he noticed me right away.

"Paige, what are you doing here?" Was the first thing he asked as he walked up to me.

"I wanted to make sure you were alright." I said and nodded to the vandalized deli. "We used to visit this place when I was younger." I said.

"Oh, I didn't remember that." My dad responded clearly focused at his job.

"Do you think it was the same gang that attacked me?" I asked.

My dad quickly reacted to what I've said. I had never seen a more panicked look in his eyes when he asked "Why would you even ask that?"

"I'm just worried those bad men will find me again." I lied, I always hated acting the damsel in distress but I knew it was the only thing that would calm my dad down.

He instantly calmed down and he placed his hand on my shoulder. "You might be all grown up now, but you'll always be my little girl and there is nothing I wouldn't do to keep you safe." He said. there was a part of me that felt better just hearing him saying that, guess parts of me still remember what it was like when he and mom raised me.

"Hey! Detective we've found something!" A police officer yelled and I gave my dad a nod to let him know he could get back to work.

My dad hurried over to the officers behind the blocked off area and I stood there looking at the damage whichever of the gangs had caused. I was worried, this wasn't a well-planned heist just some simple vandalism. The gangs here were in control and they knew it.

"Look at that, the daddy's girl is waiting for someone to pick her up." I heard a mocking voice say, I looked over my shoulder to see that Noel Khan was standing just a few steps away from me.

"What are you doing here Noel?" I asked.

"Well, since I'm the mayor's son I should let him know when these type of things happens." He said looking at the deli almost like he was admiring it.

"Doesn't he watch the news?" I asked.

"The mayor never watch the news, he makes them." Nole responded being as arrogant as always.

"Go to hell." I mumbled and Noel fished up his cellphone and took a few pictures of the vandalized deli.

"Not bad, I guess that's what your dorm must have looked like after you've cleaned it." Noel mocked as he almost looked like he was admiring the result.

"Well, hello there." He suddenly said and turned his attention to something else.

I glanced over to see what he was looking at, I saw a group of women in their early 20's, they were taking a jog in very tight yoga pants that clearly had captured Noel's attention.

"Don't bother Noel, those girls aren't into pig's." I answered as he was almost drooling.

"What about you?" Noel said as he still eyed the joggers. "You can't even keep the attention of one girl." He said.

"Whatever happened to that hot chick that visited you in the hospital, I wouldn't mind paying her a visit and treat her real…"

That was it, I had enough. Before he had any chance of finishing his sentence I clamped down my hand over his wrist and threw him to the ground.

"You fucking…" Was all I let him say before I moved my foot just above his throat cutting him off completely.

"You're not going to do anything to her, you'll stay away from her." I said and pressed down slightly on his Adam's apple so he'd get the message.

"Is that clear?" I growled.

Noel was clearly not used to have anyone standing up against him, there was a fear in his eyes and he let out a whimper as he nodded, probably worried I'd squash his throat.

Once I got off him he crawled away and really clumsy got back to his feet.

"This… This isn't over, psychopath." He said before he started to run away from me, probably to hide in his father's mansion.

It's just like I learned in the army, first when you got your back against the wall your true colors are revealed.

If the positions were reversed I knew Noel wouldn't have spared me, but I was never going to drop to his level.

 **Emily's Pov-**

"Hey Em, are you alright?" Hanna asked me as I rubbed my head.

"I've been better." Was all I could answer, lousy hangover.

"Here, have some more coffee, maybe that will help." Aria said as she poured up a cup for me.

"No thanks, I think I've had more than my daily dose." I declined, I had probably had more coffee this morning than what I'd drink in a week.

"Do you think you can walk?" Hanna asked, after hearing that stupid question we all gave Hanna our best are-you-serious looks.

"I mean do you think you can be outdoors." Hanna corrected herself.

"Just give me a few more minutes." I answered. I was not fully recovered yet, but at this point I felt better than I did this morning.

"Anything planned for today?" Aria asked

"Well, I was thinking about starting the first chapter of my new book." I said trying to sound like I had an idea of what to write.

"Nice try Em, but I can tell that you're lying." Spencer said.

"No, I've just… fine I got nothing." I said, after all it was Spencer I was talking to, if she even caught a scent of a lie she'd be on it like a bloodhound.

"Hey, it's ok. Your latest book series was a tremendous success, I mean you could retire now if you wanted to." Hanna said.

Everyone stared at Hanna, surprised over the word she had just uttered.

"What?" Hanna asked confused.

"Do you even know what the word 'tremendous' mean?" Spencer asked.

"Sure I do. Tremendous means extraordinarily large in size, extent, amount, power, or degree. It can also mean really marvelous and fantastic." Hanna said, sounding like she was quoting a dictionary.

"Wow, I'm impressed." Aria said.

"Well, thank Spencer and her word of the day calendar." Hanna said.

We sat there for a while and then Spencer got a call from her mom, she told us it was a meeting about the campaign. I could tell she didn't want to leave but I assured her that I was feeling much better now to ease her conscience about leaving.

A few minutes later Aria got a call from her brother Mike, for some reason she had been very secretive about him and whenever she'd see his Caller ID on her phone she'd walk into another room and act like normal but we could tell she was overacting every time. She excused herself as she left.

"What do you think is up with her brother?" Hanna asked.

"Maybe he is dating a girl Aria disapproves of, remember how protective she got when Prudence Finn was flirting with him?" I answered.

"Yeah, that senior who pretended to be into him just so she could steal his dads 'computer and get herself recommended into college." Hanna said.

"Yeah, poor Mike though." I said. "He must have been devastated when his dad caught her and reported her to the police." I continued

"Can't blame him for falling for her tricks. He was young and she distracted him with her big fake boobs." Hanna said.

"It would explain why Aria is protective over him now." I said trying to not think about it too hard, after all that was none of our business.

"How's your head?" Hanna asked.

"It's fine I think I can get outdoor now." I answered.

"Are you sure?" Hanna asked.

"Yes, besides I really need some fresh air." I said and then I got up and Hann followed me to the door. I quickly moved my had to my face to shield my eyes from the stinging sun rays.

"I think I should have stayed indoors for a little longer." I said and I slowly moved my hands off my face so my eyes could adjust to the sudden light I had exposed them to.

"Maybe we should go back indoors, I mean what's one wasted day?" Hanna asked.

"No, it's fine. I can do this." I said to motivate myself and once my hands were away from my face I just felt a slight stinging that already fades away.

"Dang Em, you recover fast." Hanna said sounding impressed.

It wasn't that big of an achievement, I had recovered from my hangover and now I was feeling much better.

"Wanna go somewhere?" Hanna asked.

"The supermarket, I've promised my dad to get him some supplies for the barbeque. And I've also promised my mom I'd make something healthy for dad." I explained.

"Ok, but I'll drive… you know just to be on the safe side." Hanna said.

She made a good point, I might pass an alcohol test but I didn't feel like I was back at one hundred percent. I handed her the keys to my blue Volvo and she drove us to the store where I got a shopping cart and started to fill it with steaks, burgers and chicken.

"Whoa, are you throwing a barbeque or raising a Tyrannosaurus Rex?" Hanna asked as I filled up the cart.

"Or two?" Hanna asked.

"My dad really loves to grill." I explained.

"I know I've been to his barbecues before I just never realized how much food he had." Hanna said as her eyes widened at the sight of the pile of frozen meat in the cart.

"I know, my dad would always say better to have too much than not enough." I said.

"Besides he'll invite all our families and a few of his friends from when he was a police officer." I said as I threw in a garlic marinated T-bone steak, my dad's favorite flavor.

"Come on let's get some vegetables." I said and Hanna nodded in agreement.

As I turned to cart around I felt a strong resistance and when I looked I saw that Hanna had grabbed the cart and was now holding onto it like she was trying to prevent me from going anywhere.

"Hanna what are…" Hanna brought her hand up to her mouth and made the shushing sign.

"What is it?" I whispered.

"Don't look behind you." Hanna said and I could tell her eyes were focused on something.

I slowly looked over my shoulder and to my horror I could see Paige and Sydney. I almost gasped for air as I turned my head back to Hanna in horror.

"Oh my god that's Paige. What do I do? I need to get out of here." I whispered.

"Ok, let's just avoid making eye contact and maybe she won't notice us." Hanna said.

"Won't notice! I've got a cart full of meat here." I hissed.

At this point I was considering jumping into the cart and hide among the several types of frozen meat I had picked.

I slowly started to push the cart praying that the wheels would make any squeaking sounds as I pushed it far away from where I had seen Paige.

"Was that other girl Paige's girlfriend?" Hanna asked.

"Yes, I know it's her." I said.

"So, are we going to hide until they leave?" Hanna asked.

"That's the idea." I said trying to peek around a corner to make sure Paige wasn't heading towards me.

"Why don't we just pay for your stuff and go?" Hanna asked.

"It's about 25 different items in the cart, there is no way they'll scan all of them before Paige gets to the line and then she'll see me and I just can't handle that today." I explained.

"Ok, I'll keep watch and give you a heads up if Paige's coming." Hanna said and walked up ahead of me to act as my lookout.

I was about to push the cart further ahead when I saw something I couldn't believe.

Sydney was standing a few feet's ahead of me and talking with a guy, and she was not just talking she was flirting with him.

When she suddenly kissed the guy, I felt an anger bubbling up inside me, she was cheating on Paige.

"That bitch!" I blurted out in anger.

"Who are you talking about?" I heard a husky voice ask.

I turned around and saw Paige standing right next to me.

I tried to talk but all that came out were stupid noises and weird slurring, followed by an almost bizarre laugh.

"Hey calm down." Paige said as she grabbed my shoulders, her hand felt so strong but gentle.

"Is everything alright?" She asked.

"Uuum yeah, I just didn't expect to see you here." I said.

"Or your girlfriend." I said without thinking and nodded over to where Sydney was standing.

"Whom? Sydney?" Paige asked.

"Yeah isn't you two… you know together." I awkwardly asked completely dumb folded.

Paige suddenly started to burst out laughing and I had no idea what was happening.

"Sydney isn't my girlfriend." Paige said.

Now I had no idea what was happening, is this a dream?

"Emily, I've lost… Paige!" Hanna cried out as she came back and noticed that Paige was here.

"Hi Hanna." Paige said.

"We were just, buying meat." Hanna said in an attempt to make a quick excuse.

"I see that." Paige said as she glanced over to my cart.

I snapped back to reality "It's for the barbeque, my dad wants to grill as much as is humanly possible." I explained.

"So out buying groceries with your girlfriend?" Hanna asked.

"What girlfriend?" Paige asked, this time sounding confused.

"That girl you were with." Hanna explained. "She is welcomed to the barbeque as well if you want to bring a plus one."

"Well, thank you but Sydney isn't my girlfriend we're just roommates." Paige said.

When I heard Paige say that I felt that I was brought back to yesterday when I saw her and Sydney, if I hadn't been so dumb and jumped the gun I wouldn't just have made a huge fool of myself.

"Well she is still welcome." Hanna said, now I wasn't sure what Hanna was doing.

Hanna kept talking but I wasn't listening, I was trapped in my own world after I heard that Paige wasn't dating anyone. I wanted to push her up against a shelf her and kiss her all over right here and now, but I restrained myself from doing so.

Damn, why do I get like this around her?

 **Paige's Pov-**

I had no idea where Emily would have gotten the idea that Sydney and I were dating, she is more like a little sister to me than anything else.

"Well, I should probably bring this to the cashier." Hanna said and started to push the cart down the aisle.

"So, how are things?" Emily asked.

"It's ok… or well as ok as they can be for a person who got out of the hospital." I answered.

"Oh right..." Emily quickly answered. "I don't think I got the chance to really thank you for saving me." She continued.

"I really wish it'd have ended in a more heroic way." I said remembering how my fight against the N.A.T members.

"You fought against four guys at once." Emily said as she put her hand on my shoulder and gave me a comforting squeeze.

She looked at me and I almost got lost in the gaze of her brown eyes as she let out a simple but sincere "Thank you."

When I saw the sincerity and goodness in Emily's eyes I felt a strong urge to do anything I could to make sure she'd never ever experienced anything like that again.

"You play ice hockey?" Emily suddenly asked and I noticed she was looking at my cart where I had packed enough hockey protections to be mistaken for an enforcer.

"Just been thinking about trying it out, for fun." I lied.

"I'm into hockey too, maybe I can teach out some moves." Emily said with a mix of both excitement and hesitation in her voice.

"That'd be great, I'll give you a call when I've made up my mind." I answered.

If I had told her that I was really going to wear the hockey gear as protection for the next time I'll fight a gang she'd probably think I'm crazy or think I was joking, either way I wasn't going to take that chance.

"I promise you it'll be fun… oh and you're going to need a helmet." Emily said and I looked up dumb folded.

"What?" I asked.

"A helmet, you'd want to make sure your head is protected if you're going to play ice hockey." Emily said.

"Oh, right." I answered.

I really wanted to stay longer with her but when she got a text from an inpatient Hanna we had to say our goodbyes.

Sydney and I got home to my apartment I put the hockey gear in my closet for now.

After a quick lunch I went downstairs to throw out the trash in the dumpster behind the apartment.

As I was going back I heard a shady voice say "You better get ready for tonight."

I slowly sneaked closer to where I heard the voice coming from.

"I know, the initiation right." Another voice said.

I moved closer until I reached a fence, I could have climbed over it but I could hear the two men talk, they were close and would defiantly hear me if I'd try to climb. Instead I leaned against the wall right before the fence and tried to listen to as much as I could hear.

"You are responsible for teaching the new guy the rules." One voice said, it was a man's voice, about later 30's from the sound of it.

"You think he's got what it takes to be a Black hood?" the other voice said, this one was a younger man, could be much older than 25 years.

"He's got spunk, but he'll need more than that if he wants to roll with our gang." The older man said.

After that both men kept wagering on how much it'd take for the new recruit to break, I kept my back pressed hard against the wall and leaning towards the fence as much as I could without being in sight of the two men.

"So, the usual place then?" The younger man suddenly asked.

"No, there has been a slight change of plans." The older man said.

"The boss told me our 'donator' is proud of what we did to the deli and he'll give us a small bonus tonight." The older man kept going putting an emphasis on donator like this was a normal thing for him, I knew they were talking about the Khan's but I couldn't prove that it was one of them they were talking about.

"Where do I meet him?" The younger man asked.

"Sorry, you're not trusted enough to meet our donator and after what happened to Jerry last night we better do things a bit more… subtle." The older man said.

"Our donator wants you to go to the same place as Jerry was when he got ambushed, there is after all a very small chance that lightning will strike twice. When you get there you'll get a text on this phone where our donator will say where he put the stuff." The older man continued.

"And what if I'd bump into the same person who attacked Jerry?" The younger guy said.

"Then you better do what Jerry couldn't, it was probably just some punk from the N.A.T gang trying to show off anyway." The older man said.

"And if it wasn't a onetime thing?" The younger guy asked.

"Then the boss will be out for blood." The older man answered. "Remember, midnight where Jerry got jumped." He continued.

After that both men walked away and when I knew for sure it was safe to leave my hiding spot I got back to my apartment.

I got to my bedroom and closed the door behind me. I guess I'm going to find out how much beating the hockey gear can take tonight.

That night:

Sydney had just gotten to bed and I was struggling to put my baggiest hoodie over the hockey gear. The thick pads maybe were meant to give protection from hard tackles but now I started to wonder if I had made the best choice since I now noticed that the protection was a little bigger than I thought and it could give me trouble to move quickly if I'd have to dodge a punch.

I had gotten out through my window and climbed down the fire escape so I wouldn't run into someone in the stairs, I already looked like I was wearing a life jacket under my hoodie and that'd be hard enough to explain to anyone.

I hurried to the park where I had fought the last guy from The Black Hoods, I quickly looked over the area, I was half an hour early so I had enough time to scout out the area so I'd know the best exits if I'd have to make a quick run for it.

There were two potential exists in the park, ruling out the main entrance, a tree that just reaches over the fence, an excellent choice if the guy would have brought back up.

The other was a hole in the wall where a grate used to be, the hole was big enough for me to crawl through if I'd have to sneak out and the main entrance would get blocked off.

Maybe I was overthinking this, but when I was in the army I had to quickly adapt to my environment so now I'd at least have some advantage if things wouldn't go as planned.

I also scouted out a good place to hide and get the drop of the gang member, my options were limited so I chose to hide in the grate opening, it'd keep me hidden and I'd get a good view over the park.

I had some trouble getting into the opening since the hockey gear wasn't flexible and it limited my movements.

When I had finally gotten into a semi-uncomfortable position I waited for the man to show up.

I had five minutes left until midnight so I knew it wouldn't take long for him to show up, the older member he had been talking to earlier had a determent voice, he wanted the guy to be there on time so I knew he wouldn't be late.

After a few minutes I saw a shady guy in a black hoodie walking into the park, he stood by the park bench close to the sandbox and he was holding a cell phone in his hand.

I slowly got out of my hiding spot and put my ski mask over my head. I had to make sure he wouldn't see my face.

As I sneaked up to the thug his back was turned to me and he was impatiently shaking his phone waiting for the message from their donator.

I moved up closer and closer until I was close enough to smell the bourbon on his breath.

"Expecting a call?" I said in a very dark voice.

The thug quickly jumped and tossed the phone at me. I reach to catch it but the shoulder pad got stuck and I couldn't get my arm in the right place to catch it.

The phone hit me right over my eyes and before I had any chance to recover I was tackled to the ground.

The thug walked up to me and laughed. "Seems like Jerry just didn't know what to do with you." He said and kicked my side as I tried to crawl up and I fell on my stomach.

"Unfortunately for you, I'm not going to make that mistake." He continued and kicked me again.

This wasn't good, the hockey gear was doing more bad than good for me, they might have dampened the kicks but now I couldn't get up.

"This is too easy." The thug said and grabbed me by my shoulders and started to force me up.

I used this to my advantage, he wasn't seeing me as a threat so he got uncareful. Once he had pulled me up I quickly slammed my knee into his groin and the sudden impact got him to lose his grip on me and fall onto the ground.

"What was your donator going to give you?" I yelled as I kept my distance from the thug.

He cried out in anger as he got up wielding a knife, with one swing just missing me I jumped back but once again the hockey gear failed me, I slightly lost my balance and as the thug noticed that he ran up and pushed the knife into my chest.

I could feel the hockey gear crack and a few pieces of it fell out of my hoodie.

I couldn't believe it, I was going to die. My mind went into overdrive as I realized that I had been stabbed in the chest, but then I noticed that I wasn't feeling anything, the knife had not reached my chest, it had just broken the hockey torso I was wearing.

The hockey gear might have saved me this time but now there was nothing that would protect my chest if he'd stab me again.

I threw a heavy punch at the thug and he lost his grip on his knife that was jammed into the broken pieces of the cracked hockey gear.

I grabbed onto the knife's handle and tried to pull it out, but it was really stuck and I couldn't budge it.

I looked up and the thug noticed the knife and a sudden look of great fear covered his face.

"What the hell are you?" He cried out as I walked up to him.

In fear he tried to throw a right hook at me, but his fear gave him away and I could easily dodge his strike and before he had time to react I grabbed his wrist and brought his arm down on my shoulder, breaking his arm.

He cried out in pain as he cradled his broken arm.

"I am vengeance." Was all I could bring myself to say.

The thug was terrified of me as tears fell down his cheeks.

"Don't kill me please." He begged.

"Go to the police, tell them who attacked the deli." I said.

If he was fearing me more than he feared his boss this would prove it, and if I could scare one thug I knew I could eventually terrify their bosses.

"Yes, I'll tell them everything." He pleaded and I grabbed him by his collar and pulled him to my eyesight. "If you haven't before last night I will hunt you down." Then I knocked him out so he would believe I was something more than just a human, after all what does a terrify a man more other than the unknown?

With the thug knocked out I went back to where he had thrown the cell phone at me, I reached into my hoodie and threw out all the shattered pieces of my chest protection, I knew I couldn't use those anymore but the shoulder guards and wrist guards could still be useful.

The cell phone was a few feet away from where he had thrown it at me. I picked it up to see if I could find out what the contact was going to tell him.

I pressed the power button but nothing happened, apparently the phone broke when he threw it at me.

"Shit." I grunted a threw the broken phone, this night wasn't much of a victory for me but maybe Rosewood will be one gang member short tomorrow.

This was all I could do tonight, without any leads or ideas were either of the gangs was going to strike next I had no choice other than to call it a night.

I got back to my apartment and climbed back up to my room through the fire escape which was much easier now when I had less restraining and could move more freely.

Once I got to my bedroom I peeled off my hoodie to see how deep the knife had gotten into the hockey protection I had used.

I grabbed the handle of it and pulled as hard as I could to try to get it out, I even wiggled it from side to side but I was careful to avoid accidentally pushing it in further and stab myself.

After a great effort I had finally managed to pull the knife out and then I could also take of what was left of the broken hockey gear. Once it was off I noticed a small scratch on the lower part of my chest not much bigger than a fingernail, the very end of the knife tip had broken through and just grazed me.

Even if it was a very small scratch I was in panic mode, I could have died.

Now I knew I had to take a different approach, this way would just end up killing me unless if I'd manage to find a stronger protection that still allowed maximal movability I couldn't keep fighting gang members, and this was only one guy, if I'm going to keep doing this I'll end up having to fight multiple enemies at once.

Those thoughts made me drop the knife on the wooden floor with a thud.

I had to focus, what people didn't know about me was that when I was off traveling last year I studied fights and even took martial arts classes because knowing I could defend myself was a huge confidence booster for me, even in the army I'd go a few rounds against some of the guys in hand to hand training.

Now it was like I had forgotten all that and I couldn't tell why.

I kept going through my head how I could have done things more differently from all fights I've had since I returned to Rosewood, if I were more focused I knew I could have won all fights especially when I tried to defend Emily but ended up knocked out. Maybe some sleep could clear my head and I'd get a fresh start tomorrow.

That morning:

I woke up early and when I went to get some breakfast before Sydney drank the last orange juice.

When I got to the kitchen I noticed that Sydney was already up and she was about to put on some coffee.

"Morning" I said.

Sydney got caught by surprise since she lost her grip on her coffee cup but just managed to catch it before it hit the ground.

As she held the cup I started to applaud her. "A little more practice and you can soon star juggling." I joked.

"You're such a dork." Sydney said trying to hide that she was laughing.

We sat down at the table and to my misfortune we were out of orange juice, instead I just took a glass of water.

"Are you sure you don't want any coffee?" Sydney asked.

"No, I think I need to take a break from it." I answered.

We kept eating and Sydney turned on the news where they revealed that a man had turned himself in last night and when I saw the mug shot of that man I noticed right away that it was the same guy I had fought last night.

"Wow, he must be in deep trouble if he is willing to turn himself in." Sydney said.

The news switched over to Mayor Khan who was holding a press conference, no doubt taking credit for everything.

All cameras turned to him as he stood up and said "Like you all already know a gang member has now given up and is behind lock and bars. He did the smart thing because under my leadership no one will ever have to be afraid at night this I assure you." He said stroking his own ego for something he didn't do.

"Remember, to survive you need a leader who knows about one thing. Strength. With strength you can keep fighting, you can win and take everything…"

Having enough of his bullshit I turned off the TV.

"Can you believe this guy?" I blurted out to Sydney whom just sat quietly.

"He acts all like he is willing to roll up his sleeves and get his fingers dirty while he really hasn't worked hard for an entire day of his life." I almost yelled.

"And he knows about as much as strength as an evil cartoon character." I kept going before I took a few deep breaths and calmed myself down.

"Paige, what does strength mean to you?" Sydney asked once she was sure I had calmed down.

I looked over to her and She shrugged and said "Never mind, I was just curious."

I got up and looked out the window to see the sun, I don't know why but for some reason it felt like it was glowing brighter today.

I smiled and said "Strength is the ability to make the which you believe in a reality."

* * *

 **A/N2: I hoped you liked it and in addition to trying to write more for my stories I'll work on making the fights better becouse when I wrote this chapters fight I kept feeling that I can make it better than that, next Chapter will have the Barbeque.**


	5. Chapter 5: Barbeque

**Chapter 5: Barbeque**

 **Emily's Pov-**

 **A/N:** Hey Everyone, I hope you didn't have to wait for too long for this chapter, some really nice Paily moments coming up

 **A/N2:** To the guest that wrote: **"Wait, I'm confused, in chapter 1 when Emily and Paige first met it was said that Nick and Wayne used to be partners and Emily even met Sussane, Nick's wife and then in this chapter neither one of them knew each other? This is a nice story but please check the consistency. I'll be waiting for the next chapter. Thank you for writing this one."**

and then wrote: " **I'm confused. The first time Paige and Emily met in Chapter 1 it said that Wayne and Nick used to be partners and now here neither of them knew each other? This story has a lot of potential and I really am interested what will happen next. But please check the consistency to avoid confusion. Other than that I really enjoyed reading this one and of course your other stories. I hope to see an update soon. Thank you for writing this.** "

the answer is simple, I forgot, I'm sorry but I had completely forgotten that I had written that Emily's and Paige's dad were partners in chapter one, I failed you as a fanfic writer, and I tried to change chapter 2 and 3 to make it work but I guess I only made it more confusing so I'm sorry.

* * *

"Ok here's a good place." My dad said as I helped him carry his grill. Today was the barbeque and he had been dying to fire up his grill.

"Wayne, you better eat something green today… leafy green not steak on a grass-colored plate." My mom said as she was carrying a cooler with some of the grill supplies.

"You know me Pammy, I'll stick around for a very long time." My dad answered as he put on his 'Kiss the chef' apron that I had given him when I was a little girl.

I looked at my mom who was struggling to hide that she was laughing. She hates the nickname 'Pammy' but my dad seems to have found a way to get away with calling her that.

"So, have you invited many of your friends?" My dad asked me.

"Just the girls and their plus ones… and Paige." I answered.

Mom and dad turned to me as they heard me saying Paige's name.

"Who is this Paige?" My mom asked.

"No one… she's just a friend." I answered quickly.

"Wait, is she that Paige from the hospital, Nick McCullers' daughter?" My dad asked.

"Yeah that's her." I answered. I knew my dad hadn't seen Paige but he really seemed to have re-bonded whit her dad when she was at the hospital.

"Just a friend?" My mom asked.

I couldn't believe how much they were into this gossip.

"You know when I was working as a police officer they said Nick and I were like brothers maybe now we could be." My dad responded.

I remained silent because I wasn't sure if he was joking or not.

"Hey! Emily!" I heard Spencer's voice and sure enough she and Toby were here early and on their way towards us.

I used that moment to use a plan to avoid talking to my parents "What was that Spencer?" I quickly said too silent for Spencer to hear and when Spencer was waving at me I continued with saying "Oh, I'm coming."

Tricking my parents that Spencer wanted me to help her maybe wasn't truthful, but I really didn't want to have that conversation with my mom and dad.

I got to Spencer and Toby and just as Spencer was about to explain why they were early I quickly cut them off by saying "It's ok I don't care, just pretend you need to talk to me."

Toby looked questioning at Spencer who quickly understood what I was getting at.

She tilted her head slightly to the side and started to do a few small gestures with her left hand as she was miming words to make it look to my parents like we were talking.

"You do know you two could actually talk?" Toby asked being more confused than a few seconds ago.

Spencer's reaction was to quickly give him a reverse hand slap to his chest.

"What the hell?" Toby asked.

"Sorry, it's a girl thing. Just go to Emily's parents and pretend that we're having a small disagreement." Spencer asked Toby while gesturing her arms in the air to sell to my parents that they were fighting.

"What do I tell them?" Toby asked.

"Just figure something out, now go! Hurry!" Spencer answered still gesturing to him to talk to my parents, still a bit confused Toby went up to my dad.

"Do you think Toby will be mad at you after that?" I asked Spencer.

"I'll explain everything to him later, he's forgiving so he'll understand." She answered, and it was true, Toby was the most understanding guy we knew.

"So, any reason to why you're distancing yourself from your parents?" Spencer asked.

"Oh… just some stuff." I mumbled, I couldn't believe myself now. I couldn't even tell Spencer about Paige without hesitating, what's wrong with me?

"Just stuff?" Spencer asked me in a questionable tone.

"It's about this girl… Paige." I said feeling a slight blush as I mentioned her name.

"Ooooh, the mysterious Paige that Hanna keeps talking about." Spencer said.

"Please don't start you too." I answered, it was bad enough that my parents already were shipping me and Paige but I'd prefer to get to know Paige before planning the next twentysomething years of my life.

"Ok, but at least introduce me to her, I'd really like to meet her." Spencer said.

"Well, she'll be here so your wish might come true." I said.

I felt very excited that Paige would be here, I was trying to hide it but I was like a kid on Christmas morning knowing that Paige would be here any minute now.

 **Paige's Pov-**

"Come on now Sydney, we'll be late." I called for Sydney as I waited by the door opening.

"You're really excited about a free meal." Sydney joked as she put on her jacket.

"Well you and your models are eating everything from the fridge." I said getting an annoyed look from Sydney as she walked past me.

"Come on let's go!" She said walking down the stairs.

Once we had exited the apartment we decided to go straight to where Emily had told me the barbeque would be.

It wasn't a very long walk and it only took us a few minutes to get there. I could right away notice Emily when we got there.

I walked right up to her as Sydney decided to mingle around probably trying to find someone to help her with her upcoming career.

I walked up to Emily and tapped her shoulder. Just as she saw me she let out a yelp.

"I mean it's good to see you." Emily quickly responded.

"Feeling tense?" I asked.

"A little… it's just so much to do." Emily answered in a slightly more relaxed voice.

"Ok, do you want a massage?" I asked and Emily and she didn't respond she just looked at me.

I raised my arms in defense as I said "I was just joking."

"Sorry, my mind is a little… all over the place." Emily said.

"It's really nice to see you again." I said first now I saw the beautiful smile Emily gave, it was more beautiful than words could describe and more hopeful than a sunrise.

"I'm glad you came." She said.

As Emily talked I couldn't help but smile back at her, the way the sun was shining on her made her look amazingly beautiful as she was standing in front of me.

"Hey Emily, could you help me set up a table!" A woman with long brown hair and bright skin walked up to us.

When she got to us Emily turned her to me and said "Spencer, this is Paige. Paige, this is my friend Spencer."

"Nice to meet you." I answered and offered Spencer my hand.

"Likewise." Spencer said and gave my hand a firm squeeze.

"So, you're the famous Paige McCullers." Spencer said, there was a mix of both amazement but small disbelief in her voice.

"I guess my reputation proceeds me." I answered.

"I'm sorry… When Hanna described you, she made you sound like a historical legend." Spencer said.

I remembered Hanna, she was Emily's blond friend who spoke a little too fast for her own good.

"Spencer!" Emily hissed.

"Anyway, it's nice to meet you. Emily could you help me setting some tables some guests have arrived." Spencer said.

"Sure, Paige could you lend us a hand?" Emily asked.

I was just about to say 'Yes' but then I noticed that among all the guests there was one person that clearly had invited herself, Shana.

"I'm sorry, something just came up, talk to you later?" I quickly excused myself.

I didn't like to part with Emily like this, but whit Shana involved it could be a matter of life or death.

I went right to Shana and once I was within earshot she looked at me.

"About time we had a talk." She said.

"What do you want, Shana?" I asked frustrated just by seeing her.

"What can I say? I never say no to a free burger." She answered, her smug attitude was very clear.

"Do you expect me to believe that you've paid for anything?" I asked.

"You can believe what you want, I'm the only one that knows me." She answered and started to wander as she reached into her hoodie.

I quickly acted on that and grabbed Shana's arm clamping down hard enough for her to realize that I wasn't going to let her get the weapon she was reaching for.

"Nice reflex, you'd make a great asset for 'The Black Hoods.'" She responded to my quick reaction.

"I'll never join your gang." I said still holding her arm.

"Never say never." Shana said and when I felt her arm relax I let go of her.

"After all, it's just a matter of finding out what people want and then make them realize that 'The Black Hoods' can get it for them, and more." Shana continued.

"I want you to leave." I said in my most demanding voice.

"Not yet, I'm not finished yet." Shanna said, then she checked her watch.

"What do you know, it's about to start." She said and started to walk away from the gathering crowd.

Worried over what she had planned I went right after her. "What do you mean? What have you done?" I asked her.

"Oh, just a small masterplan." Shana said it was clear that she liked to stroke her ego.

I had no idea what she had planned the only thing on my mind was to follow her until she'd reveal what she was talking about. I had learned from my time in the army that the persons that stroke their egos are most likely to reveal their plans too soon.

"You know what, I think you're having too much confidence in your plan." I said trying to get in her head for a change.

"I don't think so… everything is falling into place." Shana said as she suddenly stopped.

"Enough!" I grabbed her by her hoodie and starred right into her eyes to let her know that I wasn't going to back down now.

I saw some traces of fear in Shana's eyes "What is your plan?" I asked.

The fear suddenly disappeared and was replaced with her arrogant look. "Look around and you'll see."

I had no idea what she meant until I noticed my surroundings, I had focused so much on stopping Shana from getting away I didn't notice that she had been leading me out of the park where the barbeque was, onto an empty street corner and four members from 'The Black Hoods' had surrounded me.

Shana swatted away my hands from her and stepped back as two of the henchmen got between her and me.

"You see, I heard you lost a fight against four members of the N.A.T gang." She said as her hooded henchmen moved up to close off any escape paths.

"You managed to beat up two of my guys without getting a scratch but our rival gang managed to knock you out. I'm offering you a chance to get payback on them. Join us Paige and we can destroy the N.A.T's." She continued.

"No! I'll never join you." I said, there was nothing she could say that'd make me change my mind.

"Very well, consider this your chance to make up for that loss. Get her!" Shana commanded her henchmen.

 **Emily's Pov-**

Spence and I had just finished setting the tables.

"Do you think Paige excused herself to get out of doing choirs?" Spencer asked.

"She is here as a guest." I answered.

"So, I was also invited as a guest and I had to set the table." Spencer responded.

"You could have said no." I teased.

"Fuck you." Spencer mumbled under her breath.

"Looks like we came just at the right time." I heard a familiar voice say and when I looked up I saw Hanna and Aria coming.

"Right time?" Spencer said. "We could have used you two here when we were setting the tables." She continued.

"Like I said, we came at the right time." Hanna answered.

I looked over to see Caleb and Toby catch up with each other, the two of them had a real bromance when they hang out. Aria and I would at times joke with Spencer and Hanna that Toby and Caleb might someday leave them to live together.

I kept checking around the park and I saw Spencer mom arrive and when she came so did some news reporters, anything to look like a woman of the people I guess.

I looked over to Aria who was checking her phone, there was a mix of concern and impatient on her face.

"Expecting someone to call?" I asked.

"Mike, he's been seeing this girl and I don't think she is a good influence on him." Aria answered.

"Hopefully he'll learn it by himself." I answered.

Those words didn't seem to calm Aria down she frustrated started to write a text to her younger brother.

"He'll come, what boy declines the best burgers in the world?" I said in another attempt to calm Aria down.

Still concern Aria seemed to calm down at least a little, her concern for her brother was still there but there was still a small chance to take her mind off him for a few seconds.

With a sigh she put her phone back in her pocket. "It's just… he's my baby brother, I'm worried about him." She said.

I could only imagine how Aria felt since I was an only child, but I could tell she was more concerned about her brother than anything else.

"Hey Em, I thought you said Paige was here." Hanna said.

"She is here." I answered.

"Well, I can't see her anywhere." Hanna continued.

"She's…" I looked over to where I had last seen Paige just to see that she wasn't there. I kept looking around the area where I last saw her.

"Last time I saw her she was over there." I said nodding to where I had looked for her, I couldn't help but wonder just where she had gone off.

"Paige maybe had something to take care off, she was a bit quick to leave us to set the tables." Spencer said.

"Or maybe she the gang found her." Hanna blurted out.

"Come on, what are the odds that she'll end up in another fight against a street gang?" I asked very skeptic. "Besides Sydney is right over there." I said and nodded to where Paige's roommate was standing.

"If Paige had to leave Sydney would have gone with her." I continued.

"You're right." Aria said.

"Come on, let's get some plates before the hungry people start to form lines." Spencer said. She was right even if there was a lot of food there was always going to be a long line of hungry people craving my dad's barbeque.

"You're right, let's go." Hanna said.

As we all got some plates I grabbed an extra for Paige for when she'd show up.

 **Paige's Pov-**

This was insane, just how many people have ended up fighting four gang member at once, twice in the same month.

The gang members were surrounding me, all four had their hoods pulled over their faces so I couldn't see the faces of anyone. To be truthful I couldn't tell anyone apart since they were all dressed the same.

There was no escape I had to act fast.

Without any signs of fear, I quickly threw a straight punch to the face of one of the henchmen, my fist must have connected with an eye since he let out a painful scream as he took a few disoriented steps back.

The other henchmen tried to go on a quick offensive, but I quickly dodged and brought my fist to the knee of one who fell to the ground, down but not out.

I had managed to temporally change this into a two on one fight instead of a four on one, but it was only a matter of time before they would recover and be back in full force.

I got in between the two gang members and threw a heavy uppercut to one of them, feeling his nose break on impact with my knuckles, once my fist collided with his face I shifted my weight to my left leg, so I could deliver a kick to the ribs of the last of the henchmen.

With the quick moment to catch my breath I had created I took a quick moment to assess the current circumstances. The gang members had underestimated me but now they were aware that I could fight so now they will keep their guard up.

I could take this moment to escape but I knew that Shana would just find me again and make me fight four other gang members. I had to win this fight.

As one of the gang members got up he charged towards me, throwing a sloppy sucker punch that I easily dodged by jumping back so I got just out of his reach.

Before he had time to throw another hit I grabbed him by the arm and at the same time swiped his leg making him lose his foothold. He went down on one knee and I had one opening to know him out.

I took a step back to finish him off with a roundhouse kick but suddenly someone grabbed my arms from behind, wrapping his arms around my armpits and interlaced his hands behind my neck.

I was trapped, I couldn't move my arms enough to throw a punch or break free.

As one of the gang members was holding me the other two members felt confident as one cracked his fists as the other broke off a steel pipe from what was left of a burnt building.

The fourth man was still on his knee struggling to recover so he wasn't a threat for now.

The two gang members were laughing as they slowly went up towards me they were in control and enjoying every second of it, or so they thought.

The second they were close enough I pushed my feet's as hard as I could against the ground pushing myself off the ground and into the air.

The gang member behind me had still me in his grip but he was already slipping.

With both my feet in the air I kicked the guy with the pipe right in his chest, they heavy force from my kick got him to fall to the ground unconscious.

Witch the other gang member trying to get his head wrapped around over what just had happened I stomped down hard on the foot of the guy that was holding me, the second my heel came crashing down at the top of his foot I slammed the back of my skull right at his face.

It was a hard hit and I could feel some of his blood on my hair right after I crashed my head into his face.

He must have been knocked unconscious because I felt his arms go limp as I got out of his grip.

I heard a slow applause coming from Shana, I quickly looked over just to see her smug grin. The bitch was enjoying this.

My focus returned to the last two gang members, one had still not recovered from when I had forced him down to his knees, but he was standing up now.

I ran up to the first one, he threw a left hook at me that I dodged as I threw a quick jab of my own to his face that disoriented him. With his sight disrupted he was open to a heavy hit that knocked him out.

With just one gang member left I decided to finish this fight now but a painful blow to my back made me fall to the ground.

I was down on my hands and knees as I groaned in pain. That impact was too hard to have been a punch or a kick, I thought as I tried to get back up, but the pain was too much for me to muster the strength for it.

I could hear the final gang member growl as I rolled over on my back then I saw what he had done. That fucker… he had hit me with the pipe.

He looked down at me with an anger like that of a furious bull as he grabbed the pipe in both his hands and got down to his knees. Holding the pipe in front of himself with both hands holding each end as he got down on his knees. I tried to force myself to get up but it was no use, now the gang member was on his knees right above me as he lowered the pipe towards my throat.

I reached up and grabbed the pipe trying to push it away from me, but I was too weak as the gang member was breathing frustrated and using all his weight to try to strangle me. The extra weight that held me down was pushing the very sore part of my back where he had hit me onto the hard asphalt. That pain made it impossible to fight him off me.

I panicked as he pushed the pipe closer and closer to my throat and my instinct was to get away from him as the back of my head leaned against the asphalt I felt that there was no escape.

The gang member shifted his position, so he was now on his knees to put more pressure on the pipe and I took this moment to make one final attempt to escape.

I moved my left foot into position then I brought it up with full force right into the gang members groin.

He squealed with pain as my foot made contact his body went limp and he fell off me.

I was left there on the ground, I was exhausted, my right shoulder blade was sore from the hit and I was completely out of breath, but I had won.

As I looked up I saw Shana standing over me still smiling.

"I knew you had it in you, Fighter." She said as I slowly got back up.

"It's over Shana." I said as I looked at the knocked-out gang members.

"See this as a redemption from your failure the last time you fought against a Rosewood gang." She said acting like she just had done me a favor.

"If you think I'm going to join your gang now you're insane than I thought." I growled in anger.

"Now, let's not be too hasty, you just won against four of my personal bodyguards and you only got a bruise." She said.

I flinched in pain as she suddenly patted me on my right shoulder blade where the pipe had hit me.

"You should put some ice on that, or better yet why don't that sexy woman I saw you talking to before do it for you, I bet she loves playing nurse." Shana said.

Hearing her say that I was reminded that I had left Emily at the barbeque.

"Was all this a trick to attack the barbeque?" I growled.

"No, this was just for my own entertainment. Go and enjoy yourself now. After all, you've deserved it." She said as she walked up to a dirt bike that was parked right next to a fire hydrant.

She didn't bother to wear a helmet as she started her dirt bike. "Until next time." She said and blow me a kiss before she drove off.

I only stood there looking as she drove away. I couldn't figure out just what she was after or when she'd show up again, but I couldn't think of that now. I had to hurry back before Emily would start to wonder where I've been.

 **Emily's Pov-**

"I'm sorry, this seat is taken." I said to someone that was about to take the empty place on my left side. My friends and I had all gotten our portions and we were enjoying our meals, I had even gotten a plate for Paige.

I was holding the spot on my right side for Paige, it didn't matter how long it'd take for her to show up I wanted her to sit next to me.

"Emily are you sure Paige will show up?" Aria asked.

"Of course, she will." I answered quickly and then I turned to Spencer.

"You saw Paige, she didn't look like she was about to leave." I said to Spencer expecting her to confirm what I said.

"Emily, just because she showed up it doesn't mean she'll stick around." Spencer answered.

"Thanks for the support." I mumbled.

"I just don't want you to get your hopes up." Spencer said.

"Paige maybe changed her mind." Aria said.

"She maybe had something that came up." Hanna said.

"Maybe she is at her place." Spencer said.

"Or she could be with her parents." Aria said.

"Or she could even be… there." Hanna said as her eyes widened like she had seen a ghost.

I quickly turned around to see Paige slowly walking towards the grill.

"Paige! Over here!" I called and waved my arm to make sure she saw me.

"Emily! Calm down you're not directing traffic." Spencer said as I noticed that I have waved my hand like I was crazy.

My face blushed as I felt incredibly embarrassed, a moment ago I did what came to mind to get Paige to look my way and now I wished she hadn't seen me.

I had no idea how I could have explained to Paige what I just had done. I just turned away so I was looking straight forward to avoid making any kind of eye contact with Paige.

Sitting completely still my mind went into overdrive as I tried to figure out the best explanation to why I was waving like a lunatic, maybe I could say I was swatting at a hornet.

"Hey is this…"

"It was a hornet!" I quickly blurted out as I heard Paige's voice. Looking over my shoulder I saw Paige standing there with a confused look.

"Here, Emily saved you a seat." Hanna said and gestured to the empty seat next to me.

I really wanted to bring myself to just say one word but it was like I had all of a sudden gotten mute.

"Thanks." Paige said and sat down next to me.

"Whose plate is this?" Paige asked about the plate that was right in front of her.

"Yours, Emily got it so you wouldn't have to stand in line." Spencer answered.

I kept trying to force myself to say anything but the more I tried the harder it got to ever open my mouth.

Then I felt a gentle squeeze on my shoulder, as I looked over I saw Paige's bright smile. "Thank you." She said and for a moment I could swear that I was hearing angels singing.

"You're welcome." I have no idea how I managed to finally start talking.

I couldn't wrap my head around what was happening, Paige was sitting right next to me and I had no ideas what to say or do.

 **Paige's Pov-**

This was delicious, Emily's dad really knew how to throw a great barbeque. I was very happy that Emily had gotten me a plate since the line to her dad's grill was now too long for me.

"So, Paige. What have you been up to?" Hanna asked me.

"I've mostly tried to adjust to this place, no matter where I look the only thing that comes to mind is how different it is from when I was a kid." I answered.

"Different as in good or bad?" Hanna asked, as soon as she asked that Spencer shoved her, making Hanna almost spill her drink.

"You'll have to excuse her." Spencer said. "Hanna can get a bit rushed when she asks her questions." Spencer continued.

"It's ok." I assured Spencer, this was an improvement from all the questions I'd usually get from people that knew I had been in the army.

We kept talking and I was introduced to all Emily's friends and their boyfriends and after a while I felt a vibration in my pocket.

"Excuse me for a while." I said as I got up and fished my pocket from the front pocket of my jeans. Surprisingly the screen hadn't cracked.

I saw that I had gotten a text from Sydney that read:

 **P, could you please come and get me? I don't feel so well.**

I instantly sent her a text back:

 **Of course, where are you?**

"Is everything ok?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, it's just my roommate, she wants me to get her home." I answered, just as I finished that respond I saw Emily's face turn disappointed.

"Anything wrong?" I asked.

"What… Oh, nothing…" Emily said and tried to brush off that something was bothering her.

"Em, I can tell something is bothering you, was it something I…"

"For crying out loud, she wants to hang out with you!" Hanna almost yelled out from her seat.

"HANNA!" Both Spencer and Aria screamed at the same time.

"What? She does." Hanna continued, I looked over to Emily, her face turned every shade of red.

At the table Spencer was looking almost furious at Hanna.

"Look, we are not I college anymore, just say how it is and avoid playing the long game." Hanna continued.

Spencer almost looked like she was about to explode with rage.

I looked back to Emily "Is it true?" I asked.

"Yes" Emily answered, sounding almost like she was ashamed to admit it.

I swear to hear that I felt my heart skip a beat, I knew I liked Emily but now I know that she felt the same way for me.

"Well if you want I could…"

I was interrupted by my phone vibrating in my hand, now Sydney had sent a text telling me that she was by the grill near an Oaktree.

"I can stay if someone could get Sydney back to my place." I said.

"Hanna can do it." Aria said.

"What?" Hanna blurted out.

I guess this was their way to punish her.

Hanna eventually gave up and reluctantly agreed to get Sydney home, she and her boyfriend Caleb went to get Sydney back to my place.

Eventually the others left the table to get a second portion, so Emily and I were left alone.

"You really like me?" I asked.

"From the moment since I first saw you." Emily answered.

"I like you too." I answered and Emily moved in close to me.

"It's been a while since I was with someone, could we take things slow?" I asked, after all I hadn't had much of a love life since I graduated high school, everything after that had happened so fast.

I felt Emily's hands gently grip my own. "Slow works for me." There was no need to rush things, we could both go at our own pace.

"Come, let's go somewhere quiet." Emily said, and I didn't hesitate one second to go with her.

 **Emily's Pov-**

I was feeling really overjoyed, I was so happy I could run naked down the streets of Rosewood shouting that this was my happiest moment in what felt like ages.

Paige and I were moving away from the barbeque, so we could spend some time together. I wasn't expecting much from Paige, I just felt that we could use some time just the two of us.

We reached the other end of the park and sat down on a bench facing a sandbox.

"This feels nice." Paige said.

"Sometimes you just need to feel the calm to enjoy it." I answered.

We sat there my hand laced with her just enjoying each other's company.

"Look what we have here." A voice said and as Paige and I looked over our shoulders we saw Noel Khan, the kid of the mayor walking up towards us.

"What do you want, Khan?" Paige hissed with a very hostile tone in her voice.

"Well McCullers, since you asked so nicely, I want to turn this duo…" Noel said and pointed to Paige and I with his right index finger, altering between Paige an I a few times before he continued. "Into a threesome." He said with a smug look on his face.

I could feel Paige tensing up with annoyance as Noel walked up to us.

I held Paige's hand as I started to worry what Noel would do next.

He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, putting one in his mouth. Then he held it up to me to offer me one. I declined him right away, so he held the pack in front of Paige.

She starred mad at him as he seemed to wait for her to accept one, he even started to shake the pack with only angered Paige more.

"Fine, be that way then." Noel said as he pocked the rest of the cigarettes and pulled out a lighter to light his cigarette.

After a few puffs of some he looked at the both of us in a way that felt very frightening, Noel did have a special gift for words. Spencer had told me that Noel had managed to charm his way to get anything he wanted.

"You know girls, I think you should treat me with more respect, after all my dad is cleaning up the streets of Rosewood." He said taking a long inhale of his cigarette.

"A deli was vandalized a few night ago and they couldn't find the guilty once, how is that cleaning up?" Paige asked still very hostile.

I reached down and held her hand to make sure she wouldn't lose her patient and do something she'd regret.

"It's about seeing the bigger picture. You need to let the insignificant things die so the stronger can prosper." Noel said.

His words cut like a knife, he didn't care about whom the victim of gang violation was as long as he wasn't affected by it.

"If your dad is planning to do something to guarantee the safety of Rosewood he really needs to do something about the gangs." I said.

Noel seemed to care about what I said since he just smirked then he leaned in close to me.

"If you feel scared at night I can get you some safe place to spend tonight, cloth optional." He said.

Before I had any time to tell him that I wouldn't sleep with him, Paige got up and got up in Noel's face.

Paige starred daggers at Noel before she growled "Leave."

Noel responded by taking his cigarette out of his mouth, he smirked and then he blew smoke in Paige's face.

"I guess I hit a nerve." He said and took a step away from us but then he suddenly turned back and showed Paige, she lost her footing and hit her back against the armrest of the bench before she landed on the ground.

"Paige!" I hurried up to her and as soon as I saw the look in her eyes I wrapped my arms around her.

The look in her eyes was pure rage, like a dog the second before it's about to attack.

Noel was laughing as he enjoyed what he just had done, as I held tight to Paige leaning close to her ear and said "Don't, it's not worth it." I could feel Paige slowly calming down as Noel left.

I kept holding on to Paige as my mind went into overdrive, imagining what Noel could have done to Paige if I had let her attack him.

"It's ok, he's gone." I said and once I was sure Noel was out of earshot I loosened my grip on Paige, as my fingers grazed over her back he felt Paige flinch.

"Oh god, you're hurt." I said as I moved my grip off Paige.

"It's nothing I'm fine." Paige said trying to get up, but her painful grunt convinced me that she was in more pain than she said.

"Paige you're hurt." I said as Paige was back on her feet.

"It's nothing to worry about." She said.

"Paige, you just hit your back against an armrest, you could have a broken rib." I said.

"It's nothing." Paige said as she adjusted her jacket, she tried to hide it but I saw that she was in pain.

I cupped her cheek to make her look at me, Paige please let me help you."

 **Paige's Pov-**

I didn't want to admit it to Emily, but my right shoulder blade was hurting far worse now, I had hit the armrest right where the gang member had hit me earlier.

I knew she looked at me with her big brown eyes and I looked her way just about to tell her that I was ok.

I saw her eyes and saw nothing other than sincere concern and worry for me.

"Ok." I said without thinking clearly.

After that Emily drove me to her place, she had a very nice house, from the outside it looked like something from a real-estate catalog.

Once we were indoors Emily guided me upstairs to her bedroom.

"Emily, I think I said we should take it slow." I joked.

Emily responded with "The bathroom with the medicine cabinet is on this floor."

I sat down on Emily's bed and started to remove my jacket, I felt a stinging pain in my shoulder as I tried to get my arm out of the sleeve.

Emily must have picked up on my reactions since she grabbed the back of my coat and pulled it down ever so gently, I could slide out my arms without feeling any pain, once my jacket was off Emily hung it on a chair and then she returned her attention to me.

"How bad does it hurt?" She asked.

"It's worse than a bruise." I answered, I was missing words to describe how much it hurt.

"Here, this might ease the pain." Emily said and handed me a Tylenol pill that I swallowed right away.

"Wow, didn't even need water." Emily said sounding both surprised and impressed.

"It's just something I picked up as a kid." I answered.

Emily sat next to me as we waited for the Tylenol to take effect.

"Where does it hurt most?" She asked.

"My right shoulder blade, that's where I hit the armrest." I said, I wasn't exactly lying I just avoided mentioning the fight I had been in.

"Did you grow up with any older brothers?" Emily asked.

"No, I'm an only child." I answered.

"Really? you just seem like that type." Emily said.

"How do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, you dress a bit tomboyish, but your hair isn't in a mess and you clearly know how to fight and you can take a few hits." She said.

"All those are true, but it's because I'm a badass." I answered. Emily started to laugh and then she reached for something on the floor.

"Is this yours?" She said as she held up a star-shaped medal with a red ribbon attached to it, the star was made from bronze and my name was carved on its back.

"It's my Bronze Star." I answered.

"You got this in the army?" Emily asked.

"Yes, one day my unit was on a reconnaissance mission. We were only supposed to investigate an abandoned town where we had heard that a terrorist squad had stored their supplies." I started, and Emily was already intrigued.

"We were ambushed and got pinned down quickly and when the terrorists had gotten their hands on a bomb filled with nerve gas they loaded it on a truck and I just got on a nearby motorcycle and chased after the truck." I saw that Emily was looking like she was about to start biting her fingernails in suspense.

"I drove up to the passengers' side of the truck and then my adrenaline took over. Without thinking I got up on the motorcycle's saddle and jumped onto the truck. I smashed the window and aimed my pistol the driver, he noticed me right away and hit the break to try to get me to fall off. I lost my gun, but I still hold on to the truck and manage to open the passenger side door. When I got in the truck I knocked out the driver and stopped the truck. When I returned my unit was cheering and the Captain told his superiors about what I had done and the very next day it was awarded to me." I said looking over to Emily who looked amazed.

"You're a war hero." She said.

"Not really, I never finished the war, I was discharged." I answered.

"What happened?" Emily asked so I told her the story of how the captain died and how I couldn't continue in the army after that day.

Emily put her arm gently around me, making sure she wasn't touching my injured shoulder.

She didn't ask me anything else, she could tell that I didn't like to talk about it.

After a moment of silence Emily asked. "How bad does it hurt now?"

I rolled my right shoulder to check how it felt, it was still a bit sore, but the pain was very much subdued.

"It's not so bad anymore." I answered.

"Good, then let's look at how bad your shoulder is." Emily said and grabbed the hem of my t-shirt lifting it slowly upwards. Emily let out a sudden gasp.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing I just didn't expect your bruise to be that big." Emily said as she started to touch my right shoulder blade.

"Does it hurt?" she asked.

"No, it's not so bad." I answered as her fingers lightly traced over my back. I felt myself getting warm as Emily's light touch traced over my back and I got a little displeased when she removed her hand from me.

"Nothing is broken, but it's a big bruise." Emily said as she rolled my t-shirt back down.

"I'll be right back, I just need to get something." Emily said as she went out from the room.

I held my Bronze Star in my hand, rubbed it with my thumb, I thought earing that was the best achievement in my life, I was brave and heroic, and that medal was proof of it.

Emily got back holding a tube in her hands.

"What's that?" I asked.

"It's Arnica, it's a bruise cream, it'll help you heal faster." She explained.

She helped me to take off my t-shirt and then she asked me to lay on her bed.

"You don't think we're taking things to fast?" I joked.

"Oh, shut up you." Emily laughed as I felt her palm press against my right shoulder. The extra pressure hurt a bit but not too much for me to handle.

As Emily's warm hands were rubbing over my almost bareback I couldn't help but feel hot, her touch was almost addicting to me. She started near my neck and moved closer to my shoulder blade from there.

Her touch made me let out a soft yelp. I was disappointed as I felt her remove her hands from me.

"Did it hurt? She asked.

"No, it's ok." I answered.

Emily placed her palms on my right shoulder blade. "Let me know if it hurts." She said, and I just nodded.

She must have noticed me since she continued from where she had left off, she moved her hands in small circles at a slow rhythm. This was amazing, I felt that I was in heaven now.

Emily said something, but I wasn't listening since I wasn't focusing on anything else than her touch. Then I felt her fingers sliding under my bra.

I panicked and cried. "What are you doing?"

"I'm just moving your bra strap like I said I was going to." Emily answered sounding surprised.

"Sorry, I spaced out." I answered.

"That's ok, I'm almost done Emily said.

She kept rubbing the cream over my shoulder blade for a few more moments, pushing my bra strap down my arm so it wouldn't' be in the way. Eventually she finished and adjusted my bra strap so it would be in place.

I sat up not bothering to put on my t-shirt since I felt comfortable, besides I was still wearing my bra.

I looked deep into Emily's eyes and said, "Thank you."

I expected Emily to respond with a simple 'You're welcome' but instead she looked at me and uttered the words "You're so beautiful."

In this moment it felt like the time had stopped, I felt the same way about Emily, I pulled her in and pressed my lips against hers, now I didn't care about taking it slow anymore. Emily's lips felt so soft as she pressed back with just as much force. I moved my hand to the nape of her neck and massaged it with my thumb and index finger. I felt Emily moan into my mouth as she moved her hands to my waist holding on to me as our tongues met, battling for dominance.

Our lips eventually parted due to the lack of air, Emily was breathing heavily as I started to unbutton her shirt, revealing her athletic but still feminine body and black bra with some lace. I swear she was so hot I was about to lose it.

Emily tried to regain her dominance and sat up, she pushed me back and I hit the bed frame with a hard thud.

"Ouch!" I said as I rubbed the back of my head and Emily started to laugh. Eventually I also laughed.

When we both had calmed down Emily said. "Maybe that was a sign."

I couldn't help but agree, we did agree to move slow and this was as far from slow as any couple could come.

"You're right, I want this…" I said gesturing to Emily and me "…to work"

Emily looked back at me smiling "I feel the exact same way." She answered.

"So, do we start over?" I asked still laying on my back.

Emily smiled and lay down next to me. "Let's just say we don't take thing too slow." She said and I agreed.

I looked over at the time, it was very late.

"Do you have a guest room I can borrow overnight, or just a comfortable couch?" I asked.

"Emily understood what I meant." I think we can share my bed." She answered.

"Do you think you can keep it in your pants this time, Fields?" I joked.

"Hey!" She said and hit my arm. "You were the one who needed a hit on the head to calm down." She continued.

"Maybe so, but it's not like you ran away." I joked back.

"Whatever you horn dog, why don't you go brush your teeth while I get ready for bed?" She said more of an implication as a question.

I got up and asked if I could borrow something to sleep in and Emily handed me a gray t-shirt and a pair of boxers before she sent me on my way to the bathroom.

I got changed in there while Emily got ready for bed in her bedroom.

When I got back I knocked on the door to make sure that it was safe to enter.

"Don't come in, I'm naked." Emily said which made me want to storm in even more.

After a few minutes I knocked again. "Is it safe now?" I asked through the closed door.

"Yes, you can come in now." Emily answered.

I walked in to see that Emily had already crawled into the bed.

I walked in with my clothes under my arm, not sure where to put them I just on a nearby chair, Emily didn't seem to mind when I put my clothes in a decent pile on it.

As I walked up to the bed Emily looked like she had already made herself comfortable.

"I like to sleep in the middle, I hope you don't mind." She said.

"Actually, I prefer to sleep in the middle too." I answered.

Emily moved a bit to make room for me as I got in her bed, I was so close to Emily I could feel the warmth of her body.

"Despite all terrible things that happen in this town, I feel so happy you're here." She said as she turned off the light.

"I'm here for you, always." I answered.


	6. Chapter 6: Let's Be Honest

**Chapter 6: Let's Be Honest**

 **A/N: So once again I'm taking a long time to post a new chapter, all I can do I to hope the length can make up for the abcenense**

* * *

 **Paige's Pov-**

After a long and somewhat awkward night, I remained in bed with Emily. Despite what had almost happened last night we still slept in the same bed.

I didn't understand how it was possible but when Emily touch me I just lost myself, all I felt was her and me and nothing else mattered.

My shoulder was still sore from the fight, but Emily's cream had really done wonders for me.

I looked over to see Emily, she was laying on her side with her back turned to me, as I sat up I couldn't help but notice that there were strains from her raven hair covering her face.

Without thinking I reached over to brush away the hair strains that was in front of Emily's face. My fingers lightly grazed over her soft skin as I felt some light draft from her breathing.

I wasn't sure what I should do at this point, if I'd leave now it'd be like a one-night stand and if I'll stay until Emily wakes up an awkward talk would be guaranteed.

Still unsure of what to do I figured I could at least get dressed. I looked over to the chair where I had put my clothes last night, it was a few steps away from the bed.

Very slowly I got out of the bed and with some light steps I started to sneak over to the chair. I moved as slow as I could to prevent the floor from squeaking.

After a few steps I reached the chair with the pile of my clothes.

I reached down to the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head, once it was off I just throw it across the room.

I tired groan echoed from the bad and I quickly turned to the bed, seeing Emily rubbing her eyes I quickly crossed my arms over my chest to cover my exposed breasts.

Emily sat up and once she opened her eyes and once she noticed me she had the same face as a deer caught in headlights would have.

I smiled sheepishly and let out a very awkward "Good morning." This was so embarrassing, why didn't I just grab the t-shirt I wore yesterday to cover up? It was right on the chair.

"Paige do you think you could?" Emily asked as she held a hand to her face and slowly looked away. I got my t-shirt and pulled it on and then I got my pant as well and almost jumped into them to get dressed as quickly as I could. I didn't bother to put on socks and as for my bra I just tucked it in the waistband of the back of my pants and pulled down the hem of my t-shirt to cover it from sticking out.

"You can look now." I said and Emily, she slowly lowered her hand to be sure I was decent.

"Any reason for that morning show?" Emily asked.

"I woke up before you and I thought I could get dressed before you woke up." I answered, I wasn't too sure what else I could say, and once Emily heard that a look of worry spread on her face.

"You were going to leave? She asked as she got a robe and put it on as she got out of her bed. I couldn't help but sneaking a look at her long elegant legs as she closed her robe.

"Is it because of last night?" She asked still very worried as she went up to me, I could see a small fear spread on her face as she was blaming herself for something.

"It's because of last night? I shouldn't have let that happen." Emily said, blaming herself for it.

"No Em that's not it, and what almost happened was just as much my fault." I answered, When Emily massaged me I just lost myself and when I kissed her she must have gotten lost too.

"How about this? I'll wait in the hallway until you're dressed then we can talk about this." I suggested, and Emil responded by nodding. I could tell that she still was worried and almost embarrassed by what we had talked about but at least she was a bit calmer now.

I picked up a pair of socks as I went out from Emily's bedroom and as I closed the door behind me I pulled out my bra from my pants.

"Well, that was embarrassing." I said as I figured I might as well put my bra on now or something else might happen. Once I had put it on I slipped on my t-shirt again and then I leaned against the wall as I started to wait for Emily.

Once I heard the door open I looked over to see Emily exit her bedroom, she was wearing a blue tank top and a pair of somewhat torn jeans, her hair was in a bun.

"I didn't keep you waiting for too long?" Emily asked.

"Not to worry, I've just waited for a week." I joked, and I could see a bright smile form on Emily's lips. "Very funny Paige." She answered but I could tell that she was laughing on the inside.

We went downstairs to Emily's kitchen and Emily started with turning on the coffeemaker. "Knock yourself out to anything in the refrigerator." Emily said as she started to prepare the coffee.

I opened the fridge to see what I could choose from, Emily had a very well stocked refrigerator, she had more food than I had at my place.

I wasn't in the mood for anything advanced, so I just got some eggs to scramble.

"How's your shoulder?" Emily asked as I broke the eggs and started to mix them.

"It's much better now." I answered. "That cream really helped." I said as I poured the mixture into a frying pan.

After an awkward silence I knew it was time to talk about the elephant in the room.

"Emily, about last night…" I began, and I noticed Emily's head drop.

"I've never been with someone in a long time. You see after two years of college I dropped out, then I joined the army for three years." I started to explain.

"I had an exciting time with the men and women in my unit, but I didn't really see anyone as more than a friend and after the army I traveled for a year and during that time I never met anyone… you know that way." I kept talking and Emily was following every word.

"Really, all this time and you've never…" Emily asked not sure how to phrase her question.

"Not since high school." I answered.

"Not even a small vacation fling?" Emily asked.

"No, I just tried to move on from what I had seen in the army." I explained.

"When you touched me last night I got carried away since no one had touched me like that in a long time." I continued.

"I know how that's like." Emily said.

I noticed my egg was done and I poured it over to a plate. "Wanna split?" I asked.

"No, I'll just have coffee and this." Emily answered and put a slice of quiche in the microwave.

"It's been a long time for you too?" I asked.

"I was in a very toxic relationship that ended three years ago, she really knew how to manipulate people and when I started to realize what she did to me she dumped me and left for Ravenswood."

"She sounds like a real bitch." I said.

"She was." Emily said with a sigh. "She lied so much I don't even know if anything she said was the truth." Emily finished.

I could see she still was hurting from it, her last relation maybe was fake for the other girl, but it must have felt real for Emily at the time.

We sat down at the table with our food, I saw that Emily was just poking her food with a fork. That's when I came up with an idea, this might be a bit impulsive, but it would be a great first step for me and Emily.

"You know I'm not her." I opened to get Emily's attention. It worked because she was looking right at me.

"You can ask me anything and I'll give you an honest answered." I continued, Emily nodded as she heard what I said.

"Try it out, ask me anything." I said.

"You'll answer honestly no matter what I ask?" Emily asked.

"Soldier's honor." I answered and did a salute.

"Ok, how old were you when you had your first kiss?" Emily asked.

"I was fourteen and it was at a party during a game of truth or dare." I answered.

Emily looked a bit surprised at my answer, I guess she didn't expect me to answer that quickly.

"Do you remember whom it was with?" She asked.

"Yeah, but I really wish I could repress it." I answered.

"Who was it?" Emily asked, her curiosity highly peeked.

"It was Noel Khan." I answered.

"WHAT!" Emily yelled, clearly, she never expected that answer.

"It was the longest five seconds of my life, and it didn't help that he had nacho breath." I said.

"Oh my god!" Emily blurted out as she couldn't help but laugh.

"I still think that might be the reason I turned gay." I joked.

Emily was holding her sides as she laughed. "Ok, now I got a good question for you." She said when she had caught her breath.

"Hold on a minute, don't I get to ask you anything?" I asked.

"You might have promised me that I could as you anything, but I never made that promise to you." Emily answered.

"Come on, I just shared a personal story with you the last thing you can do is to let me ask you something." I said.

Emily let out an annoyed sigh. "Fine, what do you want to know?" She asked.

"How was your first kiss?" I asked.

"You copycat." Emily said, she tried to sound mad, but she was terrible at hiding it.

I smiled sheepishly as Emily cave in and said, "It was in middle school at Aria's birthday party. Hanna tried to kiss a guy she was crushing on and tried to get everyone to play a game of spin the bottle. Hanna got showed right when it was her turn to spin and the bottle stopped at me." Emily explained, blushing a bit when she relived what she was telling me.

"I'm starting to worry I might get some competition." I joked.

"Shut up." Emily said and then a mischievous grin was formed on her face. "But now it's my turn to ask.

I could tell that she was trying to ask me something embarrassing but I never back down.

"How was your first kiss with a girl" Emily asked.

"It was in my freshman year in high school and in a study group, this guy said that he'd do the math homework for me and this other girl if we would kiss each other. So we kissed and I got an easy A on math homework." I answered.

Emily looked a bit disappointed, probably expecting me to tell something juicier.

Now it was my turn to ask Emily something, I figured I should go easy on her this time.

"How many girls have you dated?" I asked.

"Three." Emily answered, I wasn't sure if she counted her toxic relationship with those three or not, but I wasn't going to ruin the mood by asking her that.

"Ok, my turn." Emily said almost jumping in her seat.

"Ask away." I answered letting out a sincere laugh, it's been a while since I had this fun with someone.

"Did you earn any medals from when you were in the army? Other than your Bronze Star." She asked.

"Well, I did earn two clasps for close combat when I was in boot camp, one in bronze and one in silver." I answered.

"Can I see them?" Emily asked very excitedly.

"Sorry, I don't have it on me, it's at home." I explained.

"Can you show them to me the next time we're at your place?" Emily asked still sounding very excited.

"Sure, but now it's my turn to ask a question." I said to calm her down.

"Yeah of course, ask away." Emily said still very interested in seeing my clasps.

"Is this how you acted when you were about to see another girl's boobs for the first time?" I teased her.

"PAIGE!" Emily yelled, she clearly didn't expect me to ask her that.

"I'll take that as a yes." I answered because I could tell that Emily had been caught so off guard from what I had said she didn't have anything to retaliate with.

"Your turn to ask." I said.

Emily really wanted to get back at me now, I could see that she was struggling to figure out something to ask me, after a few moments she gave me a look of defeat, then she asked. "How big are your boobs?"

I really felt like I should have expected her to ask me that.

"30 C" I answered giving Emily a quick look to let her know that I'm not one to back down.

"Ok, Fields whom was your first character crush?" I asked.

Emily instantly blushed. "I… I can't remember." She lied.

"You liar." I said in a very non-accusing voice.

Emily stared back at me pretending to be offended but after a few seconds she sighs and said. "Fine, I remember exactly whom it was, but promise me you won't laugh if I tell you."

"I promise." I said very sincerely.

"It was Yoda from Star Wars." Emily said, sounding like she was ashamed of it.

"Well, he was cute in 'Attack of the clones'." I said to make Emily not feel so embarrassed.

She looked back at me and laughed.

"You might be a writer Fields, but deep down you're a nerd." I teased.

"Well, McCullers… you're a goofball." She answered.

"How rude!" I fake gasped and acted overdramatically so that Emily would know that I was just kidding.

Emily held her sides laughing as I got up and held my left hand up to my forehead as I walked almost like I was drunk.

"Good heavens, I've never heard such insult." I said in a phony southern accent as I faked fainted and very comedically fell to the floor.

Emily was really enjoying this, she was gasping for air as she laughed louder than was possible.

As she started to calm down I got up and slowly bowed while Emily was laughing.

"Oh god, I don't think anyone has made me laugh like that before." She said as her breathing went back to normal.

We both kept talking until I got a text from my mom where she asked me to meet with her by Old Tobi's toy store, a place I'd be crazy about when I was a kid, it felt a bit strange that she wanted to meet me there of all places but maybe she asked me to meet her there because she expected me to know where it was.

I said my goodbye to Emily and left to see what my mom was up to, it only took me a few minutes to reach the block where the toy store was, when I saw it I noticed that it had shut down, and for a very long time by the look of it.

I couldn't help but feel like a small part of me was gone as I saw what once was a placed I adored when I was a little girl.

"It's a damn shame, I liked that place." I felt my anger rise as I heard an all-too-familiar voice.

"Shana." I said as I looked over my shoulder to see my tormentor standing there.

"Whoa there girl, take it easy I'm just looking out for my asset." Shana answered as she held up her hands in defense.

So, I'm an asset now? She was clearly still thinking I was going to join her gang.

"If you think I'll join your gang you must be more delusional than you think." I answered.

"Not delusional, confident." She said as she reached into the pocket of her black leather jacket.

"By the way, your mom should have kept an eye at this." She said and quickly threw something my way, I quickly caught it just to see that it was my moms' cellphone, it was Shana that had sent me that text.

"Why can't you just get out of my life?" I snarled at her as she mocked me with her smug grin.

"What can I say I live for the hunt." She responded.

"Stand still for a while." Shana said as she started to walk around me in circles as she was either sizing me up or checking me out.

I have had enough of this, in anger I clenched my fist and threw a heavy punch at Shana. She must not have expected that since she just managed to dodge my fist so that only my knuckles grazed her cheek.

Shana looked surprised at me as she rubbed her jaw where I had almost hit her, as she rubbed her fingertips over that area a devilish smile formed on her face.

"Let see what you got." She said to declare that the fight is on. I'm going to enjoy this.

I let my anger get the better of me and chose to attack Shana head on, instantly realizing what I was doing she quickly dodged past me and as I was about to throw another punch I felt a chop at my shoulder right where my bruise was. The sudden pain jolted through my body and I lost my balance and fell to the hard sidewalk.

My jacket softened most of the impact, but it still hurt. Shana stood behind me laughing as I got up. I cried out in anger as I once again tried to bash her face in. Trying to tackle her down I rushed up towards her, but she dodged me again and to add insult to injury she slapped my butt as she dodged past me.

"Paigey you disappoint me, I thought someone who would win in a fight against four other would put up more of a challenge." Shana kept mocking me.

I got up and this time Shana was standing right next to me, I threw another punch at her, but she leaned back so she got just out of my reach. I threw a right hook at her that she blocked with her forearm and she swiped my legs before I had any idea of what was happening.

"Surely you can do better!" She said in a disappointed tone.

I snapped and in a full on berserk mode I got up I threw a punch with all that I had at her which she dodged but I just threw a left hook at her, she just managed to dodge that hit but I wasn't going to let up now, I brought up my knee and bashed her right on the chin, as I saw her neck snap back I brought down my right fist with as all strength as I could muster, the impact to the side of Shana's head felt on my knuckles, they would probably swell from this but I didn't care. I was about to finish her off with a kick to her gut to know the wind out of her. Taking a quick step back I moved my right leg behind me and once I let it off the ground I felt a sharp pain in my left leg.

I lost my balance and dropped down to my knees. I had no idea what had happened but when I tried to get myself back up I felt a hard kick to my jaw and I fell on my back.

I looked up as Shana stood towering above me. Her nose was bleeding, but she didn't seem as injured as she should have been.

"That was fun." She said as she wiped off some of her nose blood with her thumb. I don't know how she did it but when I was about to kick her she must have recovered and kicked my left leg once my right foot was off the ground.

I was trying to tell her off, but I could get a word out.

"Humiliating isn't it? You thought you could win but you ended up on the ground." She continued to mock me.

As I sat up I was still feeling the effect from her kick, my jaw was hurting, and I was a bit dizzy, but I did my best to power through it.

Shana walked up to a motorcycle and got on it.

As she checked herself in the rear-view mirror I forced myself back up.

"This isn't over Shana." I said.

Shana got on her motorcycle, took one look at me and said "Please, in what world could you beat me?" Then she drove away, and I was still standing here. I felt humiliated over the fight, I had let my anger get the better of me and that cost me the fight.

Feeling utterly disappointed I slowly made my way home.

 **Emily's Pov-**

It had been a week since the barbeque and I had thought of little else other than the time I had spent with Paige. Throughout the week we had both texted each other and on occasions met at the Rosewood diner for a quick lunch.

Today I was having lunch with my friends and they were more than interested in my relationship with Paige.

"So, got any plans for you mom campaign?" I asked Spencer.

"The barbeque did get us some new voters, but the problem is that Mayor Khan keeps promising that he'll do something about the gangs and my mom can't make any promises about that since she doesn't have that kind of authority." Spencer said.

"That's for sure, Noel's dad focuses on the gang violence and makes it crystal clear that he is the only one that can do something about it." Aria said.

"I'm really wondering when he'll actually do something." Hanna chipped in.

She did have a point; Mayor Khan wasn't letting out much information on how he'll stop the gang violence instead he pointed finger and blamed others for not supporting him and the occasional times the police would arrest a gang member he'd make a preconference about it and make sure he'd be the one in focus for the success.

He was giving just enough to keep people from accusing him of not doing anything.

"We need to spread the word that my mom will be a much better mayor than our current one, but Roger Khan keeps bulldozering over most of my mom's statements." Spencer said.

"There must be something you can do to turn things to your mom's advantage." I said.

"Maybe, but for now I got no idea." Spencer answered.

"Speaking of planning, what are you and Paige doing tonight?" Hanna asked.

"I don't know, we haven't planned anything." I said while blushing.

"BOOO!" Hanna almost yelled.

"Hanna! If Emily and Paige are taking it slow it's their business." Spencer said.

"Besides, I'm sure their first proper date was very memorable." Aria joined in.

"Actually… Paige and I haven't had that kind of date yet."

All my friends looked at each other almost in chock and then they all looked at me and yelled "BOOOO!"

"Thanks a lot guys." I sarcastically answered.

"Ok, forget what I said about taking it slow, you two need to have a date." Spencer said.

"Paige and I didn't want to force anything by moving too fast." I said.

"Yeah, but there is moving too fast and moving too slow." Aria said.

"And moving backwards witch lesbehonest you and Paige might end up doing." Hanna continued.

"What did you just say?" I asked upon hearing what Hanna just said.

"I said that you and Paige might end up moving backwards if you two keep things going this way." Hanna said, I brushed off what I thought she had said earlier since I must have misheard what she said.

"I've mostly waited for Paige to ask me out when she felt ready." I answered.

"Well, Paige hasn't been here in a long while maybe she doesn't know how things are here." Aria said.

"You're right." I said as I realized that waiting for Paige to ask me out was selfish of me since Paige had so much to get reacquainted with.

I got my phone to call Paige, but I got connected her to voicemail right away.

Hanna instantly picked up on what was happening and grabbed her phone.

"What's Paige's number?" She asked.

"I don't think Paige will answer just because someone else is calling." I explained to Hanna.

"I'm not going to call her, I'll track her phone." Hanna said.

"You'll do what?" I asked in surprise since I had no idea Hanna even knew how to track a cell phone.

"Caleb invented an app that can trace any phone's location only from the phone number." Hanna explained.

Before I had time to prosses what Hanna said she snatched my cell phone out of my hand and found Paige's number in my contacts.

"There, she's at… the Wild cat's gym." Hanna said.

"Are you sure about that?" I asked. The Wildcat's gym was owned by a former boxer who called himself Wildcat and when a neck injury forced him to retire he opened a gym here in Rosewood. It was mostly people that trained to be professional fighters that went there so I wasn't sure that Paige would be there.

"Well, that's where her cellphone's current location is, might as well check it out, it's a ten-minutes' walk to get there anyway." Aria said and we all got up and headed to the gym.

As we went there I tried in vain to convince my friend that they didn't have to be with me, but they were having none of it. When we eventually got to the gym we looked around and to my surprise it was a very modern gym.

I had expected it to look like something from a heavy metal music video, but I was wrong. The gym had dumbbells, barbells, treadmills, exercise bikes, punching bags a boxing ring and a lot of equipment I didn't know the name off.

"So, where do you think Paige is?" Hanna said as we heard a heavy thud coming from the squared ring.

As I looked over there I saw Paige laying on her back, grimacing in pain as she rubbed her back for a brief moment before she rolled away from the other woman in the ring.

All I could do was to stand there not believing my eyes as I saw what was happening.

"I'm guessing she's over there." Aria said.

Paige had gotten up to her feet, she stood there in her grey shorts and black sports bra, her long auburn hair was tied into a tight ponytail and on her feet she had a pair of Adidas shoes and on her hands she was wearing a pair of fingerless MMA gloves.

Without thinking I moved up close to the ring and watched as Paige walked up to the other woman, she was blonde and had a similar outfit to Paige's only her shorts were pink and her sports bra was white.

The other woman and Paige locked arms and Paige were quickly pulled into a headlock, she was forced down to her knees and she grabbed at the other woman's wrists in an effort to losing the other one's grip.

I was beyond worried for Paige, I looked around for a towel or anything I could throw in just to end this fight.

Suddenly the other woman's arms started to part as Paige was pushing with all of her might as she broke the other woman's grip on her.

Once she broke free Paige brought her knee up to the other woman's ribs with an impact hard enough to make the woman jump back and Paige went on the offensive again, she had her fist clenched as she moved in and threw a heavy blow that collided with the left cheek of the other woman.

The other woman got down on one knee, but she still refused to stay down, as Paige moved up to her, the woman suddenly threw a quick jab that hit Paige right in her gut.

I couldn't stand seeing Paige hurt, I tried to get into the ring, but my friends pulled me away from the robe.

"What the hell you guys!" I let out.

Spencer pointed to a sign that said 'No interference during a sparring match'

I couldn't believe that this was qualified as a sparring match.

As I looked back to the ring I saw that Paige had noticed me, she gave me a quick smile as she returned her focus to her opponent. I didn't understand this, was Paige enjoying this.

The other woman charged up to Paige, I was about to look away when Paige took a great leap in the air and as gravity pulled her down she brought down her fist right into her opponent's face and that woman fell onto her back right at the impact.

Now the blonde woman was laying there and writhing in pain for a few seconds as Paige stood there holding her arms us as if she was prepared for another attack.

Suddenly a bell was ringing and then three men walked in, they were all wearing black t-shirts with the gyms logo printed on.

Two of the men walked out to the knocked-out woman holding some smelling salt near her nose while checking for other visible injuries as the third man walked up to Paige to check if she was alright.

After that he grabbed Paige's left wrist and raised her arm to declare Paige as the winner of the fight.

Paige took off her gloves and spat out her mouthguard then she walked right up to me and I embraced her in a tight hug, Paige's body was coated in a layer of sweat but I didn't care, she was ok that was the only thing that mattered.

I broke the hug and started to hit Paige's arm. "What were you doing?" I asked as Paige rubbed her arm.

"It's a sparring tournament I've entered." Paige explained.

"Just went did you start with this?" I asked.

"Well I joined three days ago but I've been sparring since I was fifteen." Paige said.

"YOU'VE WHAT?" I yelled so loud it echoed through the entire gym.

I instantly felt the embarrassment as everyone I the gym starred at me.

"When I was fifteen I had a lot of anger issues, so I started to fight as an output for everything I was mad at." Paige said gazing down at the floor like she was ashamed of her childhood.

"Why haven't you told me this?" I asked.

"I don't want to bother you with my own problems." Paige said, now I couldn't stay mad at her anymore I could only see her as a bullied victim.

"Paige, I'm your girlfriend, you should be able to tell me these things." I said as I reached over and cupped Paige's face.

"Promise me, no more secrets." I said.

"I promise." Paige answered.

"So, girlfriend huh?" Paige asked.

"Yeah." I answered and rubbed the back of my head.

"I mean that's what we are, right? I mean if you want to…" I continued to chatter away praying failing greatly at not making a fool of myself as I re-explained what I meant.

Paige suddenly pulled me in and kissed me, her lips had a force that pushed my head back and I had to hold on to Paige before I'd lose my balance. Paige cupped my head and my hands wrapped around her waist. I opened my mouth and tried to answer with about as much force as Paige and I almost lost myself as Paige's fingers traced through my wavy hair. I started to suck on Paige's bottom lip as I couldn't help but pull myself closer to her, I could feel the heat from her body as she was almost pressed up against me.

We did eventually have to break the kiss due to the lack of oxygen but we were still holding each other close.

"So, is there any particular reason to why you came here?" Paige asked.

"I wanted to ask you out for dinner." I said.

"You mean like a date?" Paige asked.

"No, I meant a real date." I said.

"That sounds great." Paige said and smiled.

I looked deep into her big brown eyes and as Paige was kissing me again, gently this time a voice interrupted us.

"Get a room you two!"

Why Hanna? Why?

Paige and took a few steps away from each other as Aria, Hanna and Spencer walked up to us.

"That was awesome." Spencer said, I wasn't sure if she meant the match or our kiss.

"You were like someone from an action movie." Aria said.

"And that look, wow." Hanna said.

"I mean if I was into girls I'd definitely try to steal you from Emily." Hanna continued.

"I'll… Take that as a compliment." Paige answered.

"You should, I mean you're looking so sexy. And those abs…" Hanna said as she traced her finger across Paige' abdomen, her abs were firm and I noticed that Hanna's finger was tracing up and down Paige's firm abs like she was following a tack and she let out a loud "Damn!"

"Ok, that's enough Hanna." I said and grabbed her wrist to pull her hand away from Paige, Hanna was very reluctant to it.

"Yeah Hanna, enough already." Aria said.

"It's my turn now." She continued.

"Don't even think about it." I let out as Aria was reaching for my girlfriend's abs.

Almost disappointed she pulled her hand away.

"It's like I've always told you, Emily never shares." Hanna said.

Paige started to laugh but when I looked over at her she tried to cover it up by coughing.

"Well, I need to book a table for tonight, I'll text you when I've arranged something." I said mostly as an effort to get Hanna to stop drooling over my girlfriend.

"Wait a minute, you haven't booked anything?" Paige asked raising an eyebrow.

"It was a heat of the moment thing." I replied.

"Speaking of heat…AOW!" Hanna said but was interrupted with a quick swat to the back of her head from Spencer.

"Ok, I'll take a shower and then I'll get home and wait for your text, unless if you care to join me." Paige said, I wasn't sure if she was joking or not.

As I fumbled for words Hanna said "I don't think she will, if she'll kiss you like that when you're wearing that she'll jump your bones if she sees you naked." Hanna said.

"HANNA!" I yelled for the second time.

"I'll see you tonight." Paige said and gave me a quick peck on my cheek before she threw a workout towel over her shoulder and went to the locker room, I couldn't help but staring at her as she was walking, I was in awe of her shape and I traced her every since with my eyes.

"Hey, horndog. What are you going to do now?" Hanna asked.

I looked back at Hanna and said "I'll go home and get a shower then I'll book a restaurant and get ready for tonight." I said.

"And if I had more time I'd go a few rounds against you in that ring, you moment killer." Said to Hanna. I knew she wasn't the most subtle person but she could have at least tried to read the moment Paige and I had.

I said goodbye to my friends and hurried home, to get ready for tonight. If I couldn't get a table at any restaurant I could always try calling 'Harry's' it was a restaurant on the outskirts of Rosewood, my dad had once saved the owner from a hostage situation, after that the owner made sure that there would always a table there for my dad and his family.

As soon as I got home I called my dad and asked him to call 'Harry's' and have them prepare a table in case I couldn't get a table anywhere else, once I got the ok from my dad I jumped into the shower, I had to do a lot of preparations to look my absolute best for Paige tonight.

 **Paige's Pov-**

I was in ecstasy, tonight Emily and I were going to have a date, a real date. This was incredible I was about as excited as a child on Christmas morning.

As I made my way home from the gym I just felt like making an impromptu dance but I resisted the urge to do so.

I got home to my apartment where I was greeted by a guy who was exiting just as I got in, probably another one of Sydney's models, at least this one was fully clothed.

"Syd? Are you home?" I called her and she exited her room looking like something was bothering her.

"Hi Paige, I didn't know you were home." She said.

"I just got back from the gym." I answered.

"Oh, ok." Sydney said and fell down on the couch, letting out a sigh as she was sinking down in the cushions.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"It's my teacher, he says my art is too repetitive." Sydney answered.

"Well you do make the same types of painting." I answered.

"I've specialized, sue me." Sydney let out.

"Besides some are oil paintings, those are usually worth the bigger grades." She continued.

"Well, maybe you should try to draw something different from what you've specialized in, you know challenge yourself to reach greater glory." I said.

Sydney seemed to take my advice to heart, I could almost see the cogs turn in her head as she was thinking, then she started to stare like she was measuring me with her eyes.

"Say Paige…" She said.

"No, not a chance." I answered as I got a feeling about what she was going to ask me.

"Come on, you'd look great and it'd be something new." Sydney said.

"I'm not going to pose naked for you." I said and folded my arms.

"Not for me, for the art." She said.

"I don't care, I'm not doing it." I answered. "Besides, you can draw other things than nude portraits." I continued.

"Like a side I've specialized, and the human body is a beautiful thing." She said.

"Well, you can draw someone else because I'm not doing it and if you mention it again I'll evict you." I said making it clear that I'm not going to become one of her models.

We both looked at each other and let out a laughter since I wasn't trying to be intimidating when I made my empty threat.

"Ok, I get it I'll just try to find a female model." Sydney said.

"You don't seem that worried about finding one." I said.

"You'd be surprised, it's not that hard to find someone willing to do it." Sydney said.

We sat there quiet for a while until I decided to break the silence.

"Do you think you can handle yourself alone tonight?" I asked sounding almost like I was her mother.

"Yeah, why do you ask?" Sydney responded curiously.

"I got a date tonight, with Emily." I said without making it sound like I was bragging.

"Shut up!" Sydney cried as she got up from the couch.

"It's true, she asked me out today." I said.

"No way, tell me how she asked and don't leave out any details." Sydney reacted, she was really into gossip.

"If you're acting like this now I can't imagine how you'll act once I'm back." I joked.

"Oh my god, then I want to hear it all, every single detail." Sydney said.

"Take it easy, it's not for another few hours." I said.

"Well then you must hurry up and get ready, I'll help." Sydney said full excited, I guess in a way I did become her new art project.

Sydney wasted no time to get me ready for the date, being a tomboy for most of my life I wasn't used to doing the girlier things in life but Sydney was a bit of an expert in that area.

As she was starting to put on makeup I got a text from Emily that said she'll pick me up at 7:00 Pm and that she had gotten us a table at a restaurant called 'Harry's'.

I showed Sydney the text and she instantly looked it up and said "Ok, it's elegant but not fancy, I think I can get you ready in time." She said as she started to go through her makeup kit.

Emily couldn't get here fast enough.

 **Emily's Pov-**

The time was now, the clock was 6:58 and I was driving down the street to Paige's apartment. I had put on an easy purple dress and since it was a bit cold I was wearing a jacket. I was also wearing a neckless that once belonged to my grandmother and once I had inherited it I've used it as a lucky charm.

I had just managed to reach my destination and I parked my car in a nearby parking place. I walked up the stairs to Paige's apartment and as I knocked on the door I was greeted by Sydney, the girl that I a few weeks ago had assumed was Paige's girlfriend.

"Hi Sydney, is Paige ready?" I greeted her.

"Yeah, she has been looking forward to this." Sydney said as I saw someone walking out of what I assumed was a bedroom.

I took me a while before I realized that it was Paige since she looked very much different from how I was used to seeing her.

Paige was wearing a light blue pants dress with no sleeves, her hair was twisted in a loose updo at the nape of her neck and she was wearing a pair of high heels with I could tell she wasn't comfortable with.

"Wow, Paige you look amazing." I said knowing full well that Paige was uncomfortable in what he was wearing.

"Thanks." Paige said with a sheepish smile hinting that she wanted to get away from Sydney as fast as possible.

"Well, we should hurry so they don't give away our table." I said and Paige nodded, we said goodbye to Sydney and went to my car.

As I was driving to the restaurant I couldn't help but keep to look at Paige.

"This is all Sydney's work." Paige said.

"It's a nice look, but is it really you?" I asked.

"No, I guess I just agreed to let her turn me into this because I wanted to look good for you." Paige said dipping her head in embarrassment.

"Paige, you look beautiful to me no matter what you wear." I said.

"Even if I had dressed like I did at the gym?" Paige asked.

"To be honest, I'd be turned on if you wore that." I joked and Paige let out a short laugh.

We finally got to Harry's and the waiter instantly recognized me and escorted us to our table and gave us our menus.

"This place looks nice." Paige said.

"This was the best I could get on short notice." I answered.

"Don't worry it's ok." Paige answered.

We sat there and I told Paige the story about my dad saving the owner of this restaurant and that there will always be a table free for my dad and his family. Then I joked about my dad eating every meal here but in all honestly he preferred my moms cooking.

When Paige was laughing I asked a question I had been wondering about for almost all day.

"Paige, when you were sparring today was that you working out any anger issues?"

Paige sighed and said. "Sort off, I was beaten down before and I just wanted to be sure I could defend myself." She answered.

"Paige." I reached over and cupped her hands. "It was an unfair fight." I said as I was thinking back to that day I saw Paige getting beaten unconscious.

"Look, if you promise me that you won't get hurt in the gym I won't freak out about the sparring sessions." I said.

Paige looked up and me and smiled "It's a deal."

We ordered our food from the waiter and once he left with the menus I couldn't help but look at Paige, she almost looked like a completely different person after what Sydney had done to her.

Paige seemed to understand what I was thinking since she said. "This really isn't me."

"Yeah, I've noticed that." I answered.

"What would you have worn if it was up to you?" I asked.

"I don't know, maybe something comfortable but still good looking." Paige said.

"How about a woman's suite?" I suggested.

"Maybe, it'd be an upgrade from wearing this." Paige answered.

"I can imagine you in a dashing tuxedo like Marlene Dietrich." I joked and we both laughed.

Then the waiter came with our food and we started to eat and we kept the small talk going.

After we had our food and Paige insisted on paying the bill we got out and sat on a nearby bench, it was a clear night and I could see the full moon surrounded by stars that were glittering in the sky.

I pulled Paige close and I slid out my left arm from my jacket and used it to give both Paige and I some warmth.

"To think, tonight is for us." Paige said.

I nuzzled close to her and I we looked up in the sky enjoying the moonlight shining for us.

Then the winds suddenly started to pick up and we hurried to my car, we got in and closed the doors, I looked over to Paige whose hair was now in a complete mess.

I laughed and reached over to undo the now even messier updo of Paige's hair.

I very easily untangled it and lett it fall down.

"Now, that's more like it." I said admiring my own work.

"I feel more like myself now," Paige said and smiled, my only wish was that I had done that sooner.

"I promise that you'll never have to dress up that much on our next date." I said as I saw Paige smiling at me.

We shared a deep kiss and then I drove Paige home.

As I parked the car Paige said "You know, we never had any dessert at the restaurant."

She moved in close to me and said "How about I treat you to some coffee?"

I liked the sound to that suggestion and we both went upstairs and when Paige opened the door to her apartment saw something that shocked the both of us.

Sydney was laying on the floor. "Paige ran over to her and started to check her pulse.

There was broken furniture all over the room and there were a few bloodstains on the walls.

"Quickly call an ambulance!" Paige yelled and I grabbed my cellphone as fast as I could.

A loud gasp we heard as Sydney's eyes flew open, she looked at Paige and said "Sha… Shana!" before she passed out.

I held my cellphone close and as soon as the hospital answered I yelled for them to send an ambulance.

This had me worried, what if this was Paige? And what if they'll come back?

* * *

 **A/N2: Once again I'm really sorry you have to wait this long for an update, I hope you like the chapter (that is if anyone is still reading this story) and that you'll be willing to wait for the next chapter.**


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